By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
On Tuesday evening, a Gallatin County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to make contact with a 47-year-old suspect, Ian Blaylock from Three Forks, with outstanding felony warrants totaling more than $50,000. The suspect fled in his vehicle from Casey’s Corner gas station in Four Corners toward Gallatin Canyon with law enforcement in pursuit along U.S. Highway 191.
Gallatin County Sheriff’s deputies used a device called a “stop stick” to deflate the suspect’s tires at mile marker 53 in the canyon. The suspect’s vehicle stopped shortly thereafter at Portal Creek, where deputies completed a “high risk traffic stop” to complete the arrest, Gallatin County Sheriff Sergeant Dan Haydon told EBS in a phone call Wednesday.
The driver and passenger, Blaylock’s wife, 38-year-old Christiana Blaylock, were charged with criminal endangerment, criminal possession of dangerous drugs or controlled substances—tests indicate methamphetamines were contained in plastic bags discovered in the truck, in addition to roughly 16 hypodermic needles—and fleeing from or eluding a peace officer, according to a sworn affidavit from Gallatin County. The suspect reached a top speed of 90 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone in Four Corners.
Nobody was injured as a result of the Feb. 11 chase, although the suspect caused multiple vehicles to swerve out of the way, and another to drive into a snowbank to avoid being struck, according to the affidavit.
Both suspects were transported to Gallatin County Detention Center, and held on existing warrants and charges from Feb. 11.
