A North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) Trooper attempted to stop a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado for speeding at 12:17 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 20. The Silverado was westbound I-94 about 15 miles east of Jamestown.
The driver of the Silverado fled west at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour before exiting I-94 at exit 272 and traveling north on a gravel road in Barnes county. A short distance north of the exit ramp, the driver of the Silverado stopped the vehicle. As the trooper approached, the driver fled again going north on the gravel county road. The driver fled north three more miles before crossing railroad tracks and coming to a stop near an intersection close to the railroad tracks.
The NDHP trooper stopped the patrol car prior to the railroad tracks to await back-up and to observe the driver of the Silverado. Seconds later, the Silverado accelerated backward at a high rate of speed toward the trooper’s vehicle. Shortly after crossing the tracks, the Silverado veered toward the trooper’s patrol vehicle. The trooper evaded a collision by backing onto a nearby approach. The Silverado slid into the snow-filled ditch and became stuck.
The driver, Levi David Thene, 29, of West Fargo, was arrested without further incident. Thene was charged with the following: Felony Reckless Endangerment and Misdemeanor Fleeing a Police Officer, Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Unlawful Display of License Plates. Thene is currently in custody at the Stutsman County Correctional Center.
The NDHP was assisted on scene by deputies from the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office and an officer from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.