Troy man hospitalized after police chase ends in Idaho

A Troy man with a troubled past is in an Idaho hospital after a police chase Saturday evening that involved law officers from multiple jurisdictions that ended just across the Montana-Idaho border.

According to a press release from Libby Chief of Police Cody Ercanbrack, Caleb Covey, 37, is currently listed in critical condition at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho after Covey had several self-inflicted wounds following a wild incident that began in Libby and ended in Bonner County, Idaho on Highway 200.

The chase came to an end soon after Sanders County Sheriff’s Office deputies were able to successfully deploy spike strips. After running over the strips Covey continued south on deflated tires and eventually on rims. He drove west on Highway 200 into Idaho where Covey was apprehended by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

Lincoln County deputies rendered lifesaving medical aid to Covey before transporting him to meet a responding ambulance. He was transferred to a ground ambulance which then met an air ambulance which took him to Kootenai Health.

The incident began at about 3:32 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 when Covey allegedly intentionally crashed his pickup into the side of a home on Dakota Avenue in Libby. He then attached a tow strap to a parked vehicle and drug it through town. While towing the stolen vehicle, Covey struck multiple other vehicles as well as a residential fence and an electrical pole. 

The stolen vehicle flipped on its side and was dragged south on California Avenue.

A Libby Police officer located the vehicle at California Avenue, near the intersection of U.S. 2. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but Covey allegedly failed to stop and continued to drag the vehicle east on U.S. 2. A slow speed pursuit ensued through town. During the pursuit, a pickup with a plow attached stopped in the roadway and was struck by the towed stolen vehicle. The suspect vehicle’s tow strap broke off leaving the stolen vehicle in the roadway. Covey then allegedly drove north on California Avenue, leaving city limits.

According to the press release, Libby Police officers and Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies continued to pursue the vehicle west on Pipe Creek Road. The pursuit increased in speed and became a high-speed pursuit. The pursuit was terminated due to the dangerous speeds and road conditions after the man was identified as Covey.

Covey's past includes two run-ins with law officers dating back to 2015. He was arrested on April 23, 2015, following a domestic disturbance at his home. A plea deal where two counts of assaulting a peace officer were dropped in exchange for a guilty plea to two counts of misdemeanor resisting arrest saw him get a suspended sentence in 2016.

Covey received a 10-year sentence, with five suspended, in 2019 following a drunken police chase in September 2018. At some point, Covey was paroled. He remained under the supervision of the state Probation and Parole office in Libby.

Following last weekend's incident, officers and deputies returned to Libby to assess the damage and render aid to anyone in need.

Covey was later reported to be coming back into town and deputies reinitiated the vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit, Covey allegedly crashed into another motorist’s vehicle and drove west on U.S. 2 toward Troy. Libby Police Officers discontinued from the pursuit to not leave Libby without a Law Enforcement presence.

County deputies continued to pursue Covey's truck which continued west on U.S. 2 to the intersection of Highway 56. Covey turned south on Highway 56 into Sanders County. At approximately mile marker 4.5 on Highway 56, Sanders County Sheriff’s Office deputies were able to successfully deploy spike strips and eventually get him stopped. 

The incident is under investigation by the Libby Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Idaho State Police.

"The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Libby Police Department would encourage all motorists that if you see a vehicle pursuit or law enforcement with their emergency lights activated to please move as far off the roadway as possible," Ercanbrack wrote in the release. "This will help keep everyone safe and allow law enforcement to focus on stopping the pursuit or safely arriving where they are needed. If your vehicle is damaged by a pursuit, park in a safe location and call dispatch.

"When talking to dispatch, provide them with your contact information so officers can follow up with you as soon as possible. If you are injured due to a crash, call 911 so we can send medical staff to help you right away. Please do not involve yourself in a pursuit, as they are very dangerous and rapidly evolving. Our highly trained officers and deputies will do all they can to stop any danger to the public as soon as possible. We are so grateful for our wonderful and brave community that we have the honor of serving. We are also thankful for our law enforcement partners who assisted with this case."