Man investigated for kidnapping following pursuit

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man is under investigation for kidnapping for possibly holding a passenger hostage during a high-speed pursuit that ended in a rollover crash on Rapid Lightning Road late Wednesday night.

Seth T. Mills, 33, is charged with aggravated drunken driving, felony eluding and leaving the scene of an injury crash. He’s being held at the Bonner County Jail without bail pending an initial court appearance.

The investigation into the kidnapping allegation is ongoing, Sheriff Daryl Wheeler said on Thursday.

The incident unfolded shortly after 9 p.m., when Bonner Dispatch was advised of a reckless driver headed northbound and approaching Sandpoint. Sandpoint Police located the suspect vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, and attempted to make a traffic stop, but it sped off and reached speeds of up to 70 mph through town, a sheriff’s office news release said.

Sheriff’s deputies joined the pursuit as it progressed eastbound on Highway 200 and then northbound onto Colburn Culver Road. The chase continued when the suspect turned onto Rapid Lightning, but officers disengaged from the pursuit because of roadway conditions and poor visibility.

“They discontinued the pursuit because it was just too dangerous,” Wheeler said.

At 9:47 p.m., the suspect’s sport utility vehicle overturned in the 8000 block of Rapid Lightning and Mills fled the scene on foot. The passenger, identified as 19-year-old Curtis Tucker, was injured in the rollover and was found at the scene.

Tucker told officers he was being held at gunpoint by Mills during the episode.

Mills, who lives in the Upper Gold Creek area, was subsequently arrested. He was booked into the jail too late to make an initial court appearance on Wednesday.

Wheeler said it remained unclear on Wednesday why Mills fled from law officers or why he was holding Tucker hostage.

“They’re still investigating it,” he said.

Mills has no criminal record in Bonner County, although he was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault in Kootenai County last year, according to the Idaho Supreme Court Data Repository. He later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disturbing the peace and was fined $350.