Accused spree burglar awaits hearing

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man accused of going on a burglary spree last fall is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

Justin Drew Morley is charged with six counts of burglary, two counts of grand theft and one count of felony eluding.

Morley, 19, is accused of burglarizing the Pack River Store and Northwest Auto Body. He's further accused of burglarizing several vehicles and a relative's home, where he allegedly stole two rifles, two shotguns and the family's dog.

Morley is also accused of stealing a Ford Escort and was allegedly in the process of stealing a Ford F-250 when Ponderay Police encountered him at Northwest Auto Body, touching off a high-speed chase on U.S. Highway 95, according to an affidavit.

Speeds reached 100 mph as Morley drove southbound on the highway, the affidavit alleges. Deputies from Bonner and Kootenai counties, in addition to Idaho State Police, were involved in the pursuit.

Officers attempted to halt the pursuit by using spike strips to deflate the truck's tires, but Morley allegedly used the highway's median and the opposing lane of travel to avoid the devices. A Kootenai County deputy brought the chase to a halt by using a pursuit immobilization technique, which involves using a patrol vehicle's front end to force a fleeing vehicle sideways.

Morley is charged in Kootenai County with grand theft by possession, in addition to misdemeanor counts of eluding and drug and paraphernalia possession, court records show.

The 13 charges in Bonner and Kootenai counties all date back to Nov. 4, 2020.

The charges accrued while Morley was awaiting trial in Bonner County for allegedly raping a 15-year-old and forcing her to perform oral sex in 2019. A trial in that case is set for May 10 in 1st District Court.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.