Tyler Smith, 24, pleaded guilty in April to vehicular eluding, a Class 5 felony punishable by up to three years in prison, court documents show. Law enforcement accused him of leading police on a 20-minute chase March 13 on U.S. Highway 550. The chase reached speeds of 90 mph on county roads with posted speed limits of 35 to 40 mph.<\/p>\n
Arresting documents show Smith drove in opposing lanes of traffic and on the shoulder of highways while evading law enforcement and dodged a spike strip by swerving off County Road 251 (32nd Street) in northern Durango.<\/p>\n
Deputy District Attorney Sean Murray suggested District Court Judge William Herringer sentence Smith to community corrections, saying that offering him a probationary sentence may not give him the support he needs to keep the community safe, citing the \u201clack of care and concern for other human beings\u201d in the high-speed chase.<\/p>\n
Smith did not speak beyond one-word responses at his Friday morning sentencing hearing.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Jourdane, Smith\u2019s public defender, told Herringer his client has been in institutions most of his life, including foster care as a child, something the defense attorney said was the \u201cstarting of (Smith\u2019s) institutionalization when it wasn\u2019t his choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that he is here is a testament to his strength,\u201d Jourdane said. \u201cHis upbringing put him in this place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Herringer told Smith on Friday that he was \u201cvery glad\u201d he had the option to sentence the defendant to community corrections. If given the option between prison or probation, Herringer said he\u2019d opt for the former.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t have you back in the community if an officer wants to pull you over for a broken tail light and that starts another 100 mph chase,\u201d Herringer said.<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s wife, Veronica Smith, told Herringer her husband suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from his previous interactions with police and, when he saw a sheriff\u2019s deputy chasing him, fled for fear of going back to prison.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a really good person,\u201d Smith told the judge of her husband. \u201cHe\u2019s had a hard life growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n