I-70 Reopens After Chase, Vehicle Fire Inside Eisenhower Tunnel
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 reopened after a chase and vehicle fire shut down the interstate on Monday night. Silverthorne police arrested one suspect.
The incident began when officers noticed a gray sedan that was traveling north on Highway 9 without its headlights. The officer was aware of a report from Summit County of a possible kidnapping on Straight Creek Drive involving a gray sedan.
The sedan made an erratic U-turn at Rainbow Drive and Highway 9 and then running a red light to get to the eastbound I-70 on ramp.
The pursuit began as the sedan traveled the wrong direction on the ramp and struck a vehicle before getting onto eastbound I-70. The officer said the suspect slammed on his brakes in an attempt to collide with the patrol car.
The chase ended at the tunnel about 9:15 p.m. Monday when the suspect vehicle lost control, crashed and burst into flames. That's when officers learned the suspect and gray sedan were not involved in the attempted kidnapping.
The suspect ran into the woods where he was arrested. Colorado State Patrol and the Summit County Sheriff's Office were involved in the arrest. The gray sedan was reported stolen out of Glenwood Springs.
The attempted kidnapping case remains under investigation by Summit County.
The fire kept I-70 closed for about an hour.