Man Flees in a Stolen Car During a Severe Blizzard in Missoula

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On November 7, 2022, Missoula County Dispatch received a report that a silver Toyota Camry had been recently stolen in Granite County. A Missoula Deputy was on routine patrol in the area of Interstate 90 and received a report of the theft. 

The visibility conditions that day were poor and road traction conditions were extremely poor due to weather conditions, which resulted in the National Weather Service issuing a severe weather advisory and the Missoula Police Department issuing an emergency travel-only announcement for a substantial portion of the day. 

While driving eastbound on I-90, the deputy observed the stolen vehicle. The deputy exited I-90, went over the overpass, and turned West to get behind the vehicle. By the time the deputy had done this, the vehicle was no longer there. 

The Chase is On

The deputy continued westbound and observed the vehicle turn around in the emergency vehicle turnaround in the median and go eastbound. The deputy also turned around and followed the vehicle eastbound with his lights and sirens activated. The vehicle continued at a high rate of speed and the deputy was unable to catch up to it due to the blizzard conditions. 

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The deputy observed fresh tire tracks that went down the 113 off-ramp at Turah. As the deputy exited I-90, he observed the vehicle turning around in the middle of the intersection. It appeared that the vehicle slid past the stop sign and missed the left-hand turn. The vehicle corrected itself and then went east on Turah Road.  

The deputy continued to pursue the vehicle at approximately 80 miles per hour with his lights and sirens activated. The deputy was approximately a quarter mile behind the vehicle due to the snowy blizzard conditions, but he could see the fresh tire tracks that the vehicle was leaving. The vehicle tire tracks were in the oncoming traffic lane for most of the time on Turah road.

The Vehicle Finally Pulls Over

At one point, the deputy passed a FedEx truck that was going westbound. The deputy observed swerving tire tracks on the road shortly thereafter, suggesting that the stolen vehicle had almost lost control while passing the FedEx truck. Approximately 100 yards later, the fresh tracks pulled into the driveway of a residence on Turah Road. The deputy pulled into the driveway and saw the vehicle parked near the garage of the residence. 

The deputy approached the vehicle, but it was unoccupied and the engine was turned off. The deputy looked for fresh footprints in the area but was unable to find any shoe prints leading away from the vehicle.  

Come Out With Your Hands Up

Within minutes, several other Missoula County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene and began to search around the property. A male was located hiding under the back deck of the residence. Deputies held the male at gunpoint and directed him to crawl from under the deck, which he complied with. 

The male was identified as Michael Jumper. Jumper was placed in the back seat of the deputy’s patrol vehicle and was read his Miranda warnings. Jumper admitted that he stole the vehicle from a rest stop in Granite County. Court documents indicate the approximate value of the stolen Camry is $30,000. 

Jumper is currently being charged with felony theft, fleeing from or eluding a peace officer, reckless driving, criminal trespass to property, and two counts of driving across a central dividing section of a controlled access highway. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.