• Suspect caught after WHP maneuver.
Sublette SO/SVI Media
On the evening of December 9, 2024, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office was contacted to assist the LaBarge Police Department with a fleeing suspect. Sublette County deputies and the drone team responded after LaBarge Police had made contact with a subject, John Fowler, at a residence in LaBarge. During the interaction, it was discovered that Fowler had an active U.S. Marshals warrant for multiple felony charges. Fowler fled from the residence, initiating a search that extended into the early hours of Dec. 10.
The search efforts involved coordination between the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Sublette County Sheriff’s Office, LaBarge Police Department, and Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers.
Later in the afternoon of Dec. 10, a “Be On the Look Out,” (BOLO) was broadcast that Fowler had possibly fled the LaBarge area in a pickup truck. Soon after the BOLO, a Sublette County deputy located a vehicle and driver matching that description. When the deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver, identified as Fowler, fled southbound on Highway 191 from Pinedale. A high-speed pursuit ensued, with speeds reaching 90-100 miles per hour. Multiple agencies assisted in the pursuit which ended up crossing county lines; including the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Sublette County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and other federal law enforcement partners.
As the pursuit approached Farson, Wyoming, Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers deployed spike strips north of the US Highway 28 intersection. The Farson school district was placed on lockdown as the pursuit neared the area. The spike strips successfully punctured the vehicle’s front tires, significantly slowing the suspect’s vehicle.
Despite the damage, Fowler continued for approximately three more miles until Wyoming Highway Patrol
Troopers executed a precision immobilization technique (PIT maneuver), successfully stopping the vehicle.
Fowler was taken into custody without further incident and was transported to the Sweetwater County Detention Center.
The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office commends the collaborative efforts of all involved agencies, ensuring a swift and safe resolution to is incident.
