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Caldwell man arrested after nearly hitting a police car and running from officers

Posted at 12:41 PM, Feb 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-07 15:57:06-05

A Caldwell man is in the Ada County Jail after police say he nearly struck a police car, and then ran from officers.

Jonathon D. Rojas, 32, of Caldwell, faces felony charges of aggravated assault and eluding a police officer. He also faces two misdemeanors of resisting officers and a parole violation.

It began when Boise Police officers were notified of a driver that was failing to yield to a traffic stop by Garden City Police officers near the intersection of 23rd Street and Main Streets about 11:50 p.m. on Monday night. 

The driver continued west on State Street and drove straight at a marked Boise Police patrol car that was in the center turn lane, according to a Boise Police Department news release. 

“The driver of the fleeing vehicle narrowly avoided striking the patrol car, before continuing west on State Street -- at one point, driving against oncoming traffic in the wrong lane,” the release stated.  “Because the truck had almost struck a marked patrol car and was driving dangerously into oncoming traffic, the BPD officer attempted to catch up to the truck and stop it.” 

“As officers were following the suspect truck, (the driver) crashed through a chain-link fence at the end of Riviera Drive and continued driving through a large field. (He) continued north through the field, and drove through another gate, before continuing to flee from officers southbound on Whitewater Park Boulevard,” the release said.

Due to public safety concerns, officers used a PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) maneuver to stop the truck near the intersection of Whitewater Park Boulevard and Hester Street. 

Once the truck came to a stop, the driver -- later identified as Rojas –- left the vehicle and ran from officers, the release said.

Officers later found Rojas in the backyard of a home near the intersection of 30th Street and Moore Street. 
Reports indicate he was attempting to enter the home prior to being taken into custody, police said.