CODY (WNE) — A man who pleaded guilty to stealing a Powell vehicle, engaging in two near-miss collisions, running through a deployed spike strip, and leading authorities from the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Park County Sheriff’s Office and Cody Police Department on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of 125 mph in February has been sentenced to prison.
On Sept. 29, Park County District Court Judge Bill Simpson sentenced Garrett Bailey to 5-7 years in prison. Bailey must pay more than $7,000 in restitution to the owner of the stolen vehicle, Wyoming Highway Patrol and Harding County, N.M.
Bailey, 27, pleaded guilty to theft of property valued at more than $1,000 while the six other felony and misdemeanor charges against him were dismissed.
He stole a Ford Edge from Blair’s Market in Powell and started making his way to Cody thereafter. Heading toward Cody, Bailey nearly collided head-on with a sheriff deputy’s vehicle, but swerved at the last moment to avoid the crash. Bailey later turned left onto the Oregon Basin Road at a high rate of speed, causing a deputy to slide into a barrow ditch and get their patrol vehicle stuck when they were unable to follow the sharp turn. An estimated $3,109 in damage was caused to the patrol car.
Deputies then deployed a spike strip on the road, which Bailey ran over after turning around on the Oregon Basin Road. He pulled over shortly after and gave himself up peacefully.