Police chase, 2-hour manhunt leads to felony charges

A man alleged to have been behind the wheel of a vehicle that led Nebraska State Troopers and Cheyenne County Deputies on a 25-minute pursuit near Sidney earlier this year was arraigned on three felony charges this week.

Bryan Red Bear, 28, of Sidney was formally charged with driving under the influence of alcoholic liquor causing serious bodily injury, second degree assault and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest.

Red Bear appeared before Cheyenne County District Court Judge Derek Weimer for arraignment on Tuesday.

On Feb. 24, a state trooper spotted a Jeep exiting the Sidney Wal-Mart parking lot that matched the description of a vehicle sought by sheriff’s deputies, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The document states the trooper attempted to pull the vehicle over, but it did not stop.

“[The trooper] pursued the vehicle on county roads and U.S. Highway 385 for approximately 25 minutes before performing a tactical vehicle intervention maneuver on the vehicle,” the affidavit continues. “The vehicle then entered a field and troopers and deputies lost sight of the vehicle. Troopers and deputies set up a perimeter to contain the subjects.”

Two individuals were observed near the vehicle, which had wrecked in a field, but fled as law enforcement offices approached, according to the report.

“Troopers and deputies searched for the subjects for approximately two hours before [a deputy] observed the subjects walking near where the vehicle had crashed,” the affidavit states. “Troopers and deputies then took both subjects into custody.”

A search warrant to measure the blood-alcohol content of Red Bear’s blood was signed by Roland after Red Bear refused to voluntarily submit to the test, the report states.

The passenger in the vehicle was transported to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff for facial wounds on the advice of medical staff at Sidney Regional Medical Center, according to the affidavit.

According to Nebraska Department of Correctional Services online records, Red Bear has previous convictions of attempted first-degree domestic assault, strangulation and attempted escape. Those records also indicate he was released in 2012 after being incarcerated for more than three years.