Kootenai County deputies arrested a 30-year-old Post Falls man for felony eluding, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a crash, DUI and possession of marijuana after leading deputies on a short pursuit and crashing into an occupied home in Dalton Gardens.
Around 8:25 Monday night, a Kootenai County Sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for driving without headlights near Government Way and Orchard Ave. in Hayden. The driver of the vehicle would not yield and led the deputy on a chase with speeds reaching nearly 80 mph. The driver eventually lost control and crashed into a house in the 7000 block of Rude St. in Dalton Gardens. After crashing into the home, which had people inside at the time, the driver, identified as Cesar Arana, bailed out of his car and took off running.
Kootenai County K-9 Bari was able to successfully track and find Arana hiding under a motorhome near the crash scene. He was safely taken into custody without incident. He was transported to Kootenai Health for medical attention after the crash, and was later released.
Arana was wanted in Kootenai County on charges stemming from a previous DUI. He has been arrested 19 times in Kootenai County since 2003 for a variety of charges.
The house suffered significant damage, but no one who was inside was injured.
(story: Matt Pusatory, KHQ Local News Web Producer, KHQ.com; photo: Kootenai County Sheriff's Office)