Crazyboy pleads guilty on car chase charges

A man sentenced last week to 10 years in custody with five suspended for heading a burglary and theft ring in Havre has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a high-speed chase, in which he led law enforcement while awaiting that sentencing hearing.

Jaylen Jake Crazyboy pleaded guilty in a plea agreement in state District Court in Havre Monday to a felony count of criminal endangerment and a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

District Judge Kaydee Snipes Ruiz accepted the pleas and set sentencing for 1 p.m. Oct. 13.

Under the plea agreement, 14 other charges will be dismissed.

No sentencing recommendations are made in the agreement, which states that each side will be able to make recommendations within the parameters set by statute.

According to a court document, Crazyboy led police on a chase after officers attempted to make a traffic stop about 7:12 p.m. Aug. 8 when they were looking for him for driving while his license was suspended.

Crazyboy accelerated and led police on a chase through town, at speeds exceeding 60 mph at times, running stop signs and forcing mutiple vehicles to speed up or leave the road to avoid collisions, the document said.

During the chase, which included going onto U.S. Highway 2 East, 24th Avenue — Roller Coaster Road — and down 14th Avenue onto Clear Creek Road and back onto 24th Avenue, Crazyboy at one point intentionally struck the vehicle of an officer trying to pull him over and ended up, after one of the tires on the black 2009 Nisaan Altima he was driving had completely fallen apart and smoke was coming out of the back of the vehicle, he lost control on Eighth Avenue and struck a tree.

Crazyboy left the vehicle and attempted to flee but was apprehended on the 700 Block of First Street, the document said.

Two women who were passengers in the vehicle spoke to officers, with one saying she was physically all right “but disappointed,” and the other said Crazyboy made a horrible decision, but she couldn’t stop him, the document said.

Crazyboy was charged with 11 counts of felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor counts of DUI, reckless driving, fleeing from or eluding a peace officer, driving with a suspended or revoked license and habitual traffic offender operating a motor vehicle.

Wednesday, Snipes Ruiz sentenced Crazyboy and Fabian Joel “Juju” Saddler to 10 years with the state Department of Corrections in a plea agreement on charges stemming from the burglary ring.

Snipes Ruiz deviated from the recommended sentence of seven years with five suspended on both Crazyboy and Saddler, saying she wanted to give a longer time for them to be able to use treatment, education and job training programs while in state custody.