Two Arrested in Casper Following Police Chase

Casper police officers arrested two people Tuesday after the suspects allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through the city in a stolen car.

Michael Robert Harvey, 32, was booked into jail on recommended charges of interference, attempting to elude police, reckless driving, driving while under suspension, wrongful taking or disposing of property and warrants for failure to comply.

Chelcea Woods, 19, was booked for warrants, methamphetamine possession, interference and wrongful taking or disposing of property.

Charging papers say that a police officer went to the 1500 block of Kearney on Thursday, Sept. 13 in order to arrest Harvey and Woods for their outstanding warrants. They weren't at the residence, but another woman told the officer that Harvey had left in vehicle which she believed was stolen.

The woman said that golf clubs and other items had been left by Harvey in a carport, and police used those items to determine that the true owner of the car in question -- a 2011 Infinity M37 with Colorado plates -- was hospitalized in Colorado. The owner's sister, who had power of attorney due to the owner's medical condition, told police that Harvey and Woods were not authorized to use the car.

Later, court documents say, the owner confirmed that for police.

Casper police also received an anonymous tip via Facebook that Harvey had been on his Facebook account bragging about having stolen a car worth $50,000 from Colorado.

On Friday afternoon, a Casper police officer saw the stolen Infiniti pull in front of a firetruck which was responding to a fire. A high-speed chase ensued, with the Infiniti -- driven by Harvey -- reaching speeds of roughly 70 mph in town, including within a school zone.

Ultimately, police called off the chase due to public safety concerns.

A short time later, an officer found the stolen car parked in the 1600 block of Sycamore Street. The car was towed away by police.

On Tuesday evening, an officer found Harvey and Woods near 10th and Payne. They tried to run off, but police chased them down and arrested the pair on their warrants.

Inside Woods's purse, which she dropped during the foot chase, police reportedly found keys to the stolen car, along with property belonging to both Woods and Harvey. Also inside the purse were a number of bank cards belonging to the owner of the Infiniti, as well as purchases which had been made while the owner was hospitalized.

The owner of the vehicle, who was released from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon, called Casper police and reported that some 25 fraudulent charges had been made on his accounts. A check of his had also been stolen and cashed.

As of Wednesday, the investigating officer planned to work further with Colorado authorities to investigate the potential for additional charges of credit card and check fraud against both Harvey and Woods.