On September 29th at around 7:00 p.m., police observed a van travelling north on East Boulevard with a non-illuminated license plate. Police attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of East Boulevard and Main Street, but it did not stop for police. As the vehicle crossed through the intersection of East North Street and Milwaukee Street, police were able to successfully use spike strips to deflate the vehicle’s tires. Despite the van’s flat tires, the driver did not stop the vehicle. At one point in the pursuit, the van struck a parked vehicle in the area of East New York Street and Cherry Avenue. The vehicle pursuit ended when the van came to a stop after striking some electrical boxes behind a residence in the 700 block of East Chicago Street. The driver, later identified as 24-year-old Derek Atthestraight of Rapid City, fled the vehicle on foot. Police caught up to him behind 115 N. Lacrosse Street and was detained at taser-point. Atthestraight was placed into handcuffs. A search of his person turned up jeweler’s bags containing a substance which field-tested positive for methamphetamine. A urinalysis tested positive for methamphetamine and THC. Atthestraight was arrested for Aggravated Eluding, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Reckless Driving, Obstruction, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Ingestion of a Controlled Substance, Ingestion of a Substance (other than alcohol) to Intoxicate, Improperly Lighted License Plate, and a Warrant.
