Three charged in theft, chase, obstruction cases

Three Havreites pleaded not guilty Wednesday in state District Court in Havre on charges ranging from stealing and wrecking a car while an escapee from a prison sentence to leading police through town on a high-speed chase nearly up to 100 mph at some points.

Samuel Lynn Latray, born in 1982, faces felony charges of criminal endangerment and obstructing justice and misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, fleeing from police, obstructing police officers, improper registration or display of license plates and a stop sign violation in one case.

In another case, he is charged with felony counts of theft and criminal endangerment and misdemeanor counts of reckless driving, failure to give notice of an accident, failure to give information and render aid, and failure to carry proof of insurance.

Tyson E. Latray is charged with a felony count of obstructing justice, as is Leona E. Trueax, born in 1980.

Tyson Latray was in the Hill County jail this morning on $175,000 bond including for a charge of probation violation and Samuel Latray was in the jail on $25,000 bond for the obstructing justice and without bond on a charge of violation of conditions of release.

Trueax was released from jail on a reduced bond Wednesday.

According to charging documents, law enforcement officers investigating a single-vehicle crash on the 1900 Block of 1st Street reported at 4:01 a.m. Sept. 27 — and a later report that the vehicle that crashed had been stolen — heard from witnesses that Samuel and Tyson Latray had been driving in the vehicle. One witness said the car crashed while Samuel Latray was driving it after using methamphetamine.

A witness told officers she saw the crash and three men flee from the scene, leaving one injured woman at the vehicle.

The officer reported it appeared that the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country had crossed into the westbound lane of traffic, struck a couple of trash cans and then a tree stump. Several Twisted Tea bottles were in and around the crashed Chrysler, the officer reported.

Later that morning, a woman reported to the Hill County Sheriff’s Office that her Chrysler Town and Country had been stolen. The deputy who took her call found that the vehicle was the one in the crash earlier that morning.

Upon inspecting the vehicle, he reported it as a total loss, a charging document says.

A caller on Oct. 6 reported that Samuel Latray and Tyson Latray were staying in a residence in a Havre trailer park, another document says. Warrants issued months earlier authorized their arrest for absconding from justice.

A law enforcement agent conducted surveillance on the residence notified Havre police that both men got into a green Chrysler sedan parked on the 100 Block of 16th Avenue and drove away, the document says.

About 12:26 p.m., an officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop as Samuel Latray drove the sedan past him northbound on through the intersection of 1st Street and 16th Avenue, the document says, but Latray, did not stop and increased his speed.

Latray ran a stop sign at the intersection of 16th Avenue and U.S. Highway 2 East and turned onto the highway, where two other Havre officers joined in the chase.

Latray drove the vehicle east at up to 68 mph in the 35 mph zone, weaving in and out of traffic, the document says. As the sedan passed Moodie Implement, it was moving at 98 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Upon entering a trailer court, Latray slammed on the brakes, causing an officer to run his patrol car into the back of the Chrysler, then resumed driving through the court at a high rate of speed.

When they reached a dead end, the Latrays left the vehicle and fled, with the vehicle rolling forward and going over an embankment.

Officers pursued the two men on foot, and arrested them after they stopped running, the document says.

Trueax was arrested and charged with obstructing justice after evidence indicated she had provided a residence for the men, had warned them that police were looking for them in the trailer park and had provided them with the vehicle used in the chase.