Car theft spree ends Monday in Cody

At about 7:30 Sunday morning, the Thermopolis Police Department responded to a pursuit coming out of the south end of Wind River Canyon. Though initiated by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, local police took over the pursuit of a white Chrysler 300 in town.

Officers located the vehicle, which was northbound, at Fifth and Broadway. The 300 later turned on to Park Street and was lost for a short while. Officers received a report the vehicle had gone up the hill leading to the old airport and was on a dirt road.

Responding officers found the vehicle had gone through a fence, and it was later located with nobody around it. Officer Mike Mascorro and Hot Springs County Deputy Jake Miller proceeded to the Red Lane District, searching buildings for the driver and notifying people to keep their possessions and homes locked up. The officers made it about halfway to Sessions Lane, where a white Mazda Miata was reported stolen at 3:35 p.m. Sunday.

According to information from the Cody Police Department, on Monday at about 10:45 p.m. an officer observed a Miata matching the description of the one stolen. The officer knew a vehicle matching this description had recently been stolen from Thermopolis and knew that it was involved in a vehicle pursuit involving the Park County Sheriff’s Department and the Wyoming Highway Patrol, along Highway 14A between Cody and Powell, which was terminated when the driver of the vehicle began driving into oncoming traffic.

The officer confirmed that this vehicle was in fact the stolen vehicle from Thermopolis, and attempted to stop it near Eighth Street and Canyon Avenue in Cody. The Mazda sped up and a vehicle pursuit began. During this pursuit the officer observed the driver and passenger switch positions within the vehicle. A short time later this pursuit was terminated at Stampede Avenue and 17th Street in Cody, when the Mazda began driving into oncoming traffic.

The officers that had just terminated this pursuit witnessed the Mazda drive up onto the island in the intersection of 17th Street and Sheridan Avenue. The vehicle appeared to be stuck on the island, so they investigated. As they pulled up to the vehicle it became free from the island and traveled westbound on Sheridan Avenue at a much slower speed. The Officers followed the Mazda behind West Park Hospital at which time the two occupants of the vehicle fled on foot.

After a short foot pursuit one occupant, Brianna Roemmich, was taken into custody. Park County Sheriff’s Deputies and Cody Police Officers set up a perimeter and were able to locate and take the second occupant, Duane Jarvis, into custody. The Park County Sheriff’s Department played a substantial role in assisting the Cody Police Department in taking Jarvis into custody.