Man arrested after foot pursuit across frozen lake

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SPIRIT LAKE — A local man is under arrest on multiple charges ranging from felony burglary to petit theft following a foot chase across a frozen Spirit Lake.

The arrest of Devin D. Denny, 27, follows a report of a suspicious person trying to get into a Spirit Lake area home, Lt. Ryan Higgins, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office public information officer, said.

Higgins said KCSO deputies and Spirit Lake Police officer were dispatched to the home in the area of Nautical Loop and Highway 41 at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Law enforcement searched the area but were unable to locate the male, Higgins said. However, they did observe a vehicle that was later associated with the male.

"The vehicle was observed traveling at a high rate of speed down Nautical Loop towards Osprey Road," Higgins said in a press release. "Deputies attempted to stop the male who exited the vehicle and ran onto Spirit Lake, which is frozen."

While deputies were attempting to stop the male, later determined to be Denny, a call came into the 911 center of a structure fire on Nautical Loop near Highway 41. Higgins said the structure was reported to be a detached shop which was fully engulfed when Spirit Lake Fire personnel arrived on scene.

In the meantime, Denny continued on the ice to the other side of the lake. While deputies and officers were attempting to setup a perimeter, Higgins said a citizen called and advised the male was walking back across the lake. Denny was eventually taken into custody without incident.

Devin D. Denny, a Spirit Lake resident, was taken into custody and will be booked into the Public Safety Building on charges of felony burglary, petit theft, obstructing and drug paraphernalia.

At this time it is unknown if Denny is associated with the structure fire, but additional charges could be forthcoming once the investigation is completed, Higgins said.

Denny has been arrested or charged 11 times since 2009 for alcohol and driving offenses.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Officers from the Spirit Lake Police Department for their assistance and those citizens who called in to report the location of Denny, Higgins said.