Woman charged in high speed chase was on the lam for a month

A woman who took police on a high speed chase last summer through the Canyon was found again after she was on the lam for several weeks when she skipped her court sentencing.

Raychelle Yvette Afseth, 30, was found by Kalispell Police last Tuesday at the Blue and White Hotel in Kalispell, County Sheriff Chuck Curry said. A $20,000 warrant for her arrest was set by Flathead County District Judge Heidi Ulbricht when she didn’t show up at her sentencing in February. Afseth is currently in the county jail.

Afseth was released to live with her mother in Whitefish while awaiting sentencing, according to court documents. She violated her release conditions in January when she failed to make twice daily phone calls for monitoring.

She pleaded guilty to criminal endangerment in December after the court dismissed a charge of theft. The felony charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The vehicle used in the chase was a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was reported missing Aug. 20 from a Kmart parking lot. 

Flathead County Sheriff Deputy Chris Roberts attempted to stop the vehicle when it was found traveling eastbound on Montana 35. The vehicle failed to yield, so he pursued the Jeep as it headed north on Highway 206, then turned onto U.S. Highway 2 east.

The chase went on for more than 40 miles reaching speeds over 100 mph. The vehicle was finally stopped with spike strips at mile marker 171. The strips shredded three of the Jeep’s tires and slowed the vehicle down to about 55 mph. Roberts tapped the back of the Jeep causing it to abruptly turn sideways and crash into the woods near Nyack.

Afseth was taken to the hospital via an ALERT helicopter. At the time of the chase, law enforcement described her as a transient.