A 36 year old homeless man has been sentenced for leading a Washington State Patrol Trooper on a dangerous car chase near Colfax.
Angel Cartagena pleaded guilty to felony attempted eluding on Friday in Whitman County Superior Court. Court Commissioner Doug Robinson sentenced Cartagena to four months in jail which is in the middle of the standard range.
Cartagena was speeding on State Route 26 West of Colfax on November 20th when he failed to stop for the trooper. He was going 93 MPH in a Prius. Cartagena led the trooper on a chase North of Colfax making bad passes. The pursuit ended when the Prius broke down while climbing Buck Canyon Northbound on U.S. Highway 195.
The trooper found methamphetamine, a gun and an explosive device inside the car. Cartagena had a tennis ball filled with gunpowder. Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy dropped the charge for possessing an explosive device. Tracy told the court that the count didn’t apply because there was no evidence that Cartagena intended to use the device to damage property. The trooper believed that Cartagena was driving under the influence of meth.
Cartagena’s criminal history includes convictions for stealing a car and theft in Western Washington. He is currently facing another car theft charge in Western Washington.
