Grand Teton: Two Teens Arrested Following Extended Foot Pursuit

Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Two Teens Arrested Following Extended Foot Pursuit

Rangers arrested two local teens on Sunday, July 4th, following a two-and-a-half hour foot pursuit near the historic Mormon Row area. Early that morning, Will Smith, the park’s Gros Ventre subdistrict ranger, responded to a report of a car that had apparently veered off the road and become stuck in the roadside sagebrush. Smith subsequently contacted two young men who were running along the road and asked them if the abandoned vehicle was theirs and whether they needed assistance. While talking with them, the two teens suddenly fled on foot and a full-scale foot pursuit ensued. Numerous law enforcement officers and a park canine search team responded and a containment barrier was established to prevent the teens from fleeing the area. Rangers tracked the two teens on foot and eventually hiked up the southeast slope of Blacktail Butte, where the teenagers were finally apprehended. They were taken into custody and transported to the Teton County jail. Both were issued citations for possession of alcohol by a minor, being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, possession of a controlled substance, and violating a lawful order issued by a government employee. One of the teens was also charged with failure to maintain control of a vehicle.