Escaped con arrested after Havre-to-Chinook chase

Havre police and six other agencies were led on a high-speed chase throughout Havre to Chinook and to a field several miles south of Chinook Friday afternoon.

In the end, they captured an escaped convict, Eric Bruce Fowler, born in 1980, a passenger in the vehicle, and arrested his accomplice, Ranette R. Downey, born in 1980, the vehicle's driver.

The Montana Department of Corrections had issued a warrant for Fowler’s arrest in January for escaping from the Watch program at the Warm Springs Addiction Treatment program. He had cut holes through a chain-link fence, becoming the first person in the program’s 13-year program to escape, DOC officials said. They warned he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich said his department's officers and agents of the Tri-Agency Task Force tried to stop the vehicle Fowler was riding in on the 1000 Block of 1st Street at about 12:57 p.m. Friday.

The driver, Ranette R.Downey, also born 1980, drove the car away at high speeds, south on 13th Avenue, east on 3rd Street, north on 15th Avenue and then east on U.S. Highway 2, police said. They went as far as Chinook and to Prairie Road, a remote location several miles south of Chinook.

Along the way, Havre police received assistance from the Hill County Sheriff’s Department, Blaine County Sheriff’s Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Chinook police and wardens from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Upon apprehension, Fowler was taken to the Hill County Detention Center where he is being held without bail.

Doney is being held on a series of charges. She too is being held without bond. Matosich said the Hill County attorney’s office will prepare formal charges next week.

She is facing charges of felony criminal endangerment, felony obstructing justice, fleeing and eluding a police officer and reckless driving.

Fowler has a long criminal history, DOC officials report.

He has been convicted of criminal endangerment, criminal possession of dangerous drugs, assault with a weapon, failure to report as a criminal or sexual offender and several driving under the influence charge.

This was his second jail escape. He earlier escaped from Fort Peck tribal jail by crawling through a ventilation system.

He has had trouble with the law in Sheridan, Cascade and Valley counties, according to DOC documents.

His body is covered with tattoos, they said.

One of Fowler’s arrests made was reported statewide.

He was arrested on St. Patrick’s Day an Irish pub in downtown Helena. Police responded to a report of a fight at the bar, and Fowler fit the description of the perpetrator.

Police discovered that he was not involved, but noticed he was wearing an ankle bracelet he was required to wear because of his third drunken driving arrest.

Fowler attempted to convince the officer that the bracelet was simply jewelry, Helena Police Chief Troy McGee said.

The officer didn’t buy it. Fowler was taken to jail.