Log In


Reset Password
News Education Local News Nation & World New Mexico

Two arrested after accident

Pursuit ends in crash on La Posta Road

A pursuit by a La Plata County Sheriff’s Office deputy resulted in a crash and search on La Posta Road (County Road 213) Thursday afternoon.

“Just before 2 p.m., the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop just east of the Bridge to Nowhere on U.S. Highway 160,” Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dan Bender said. “The vehicle stopped, as one would typically do, but as the deputy approached the vehicle, it fled. He was pulling them over because he recognized one of the occupants as having a warrant.”

The vehicle continued east to La Posta Road, where it traveled about three miles before leaving the road, Bender said. The deputy arrested the two passengers, Freedom Anderson, 19, and Melikai Hesse, 20, without incident.

Both are being held at the La Plata County jail on outstanding warrants, Bender said. Anderson is being held on two failure-to-appear warrants, one for assault, the other for harassment. Hesse has five failure-to-appear warrants for violations ranging from driving under the influence to property crimes and narcotics.

“The third fled on foot up a ravine,” Bender said. He was the driver and has been identified as Michael Iain Greer, 23.

Deputies, including Matt Webb and his K-9 partner, Jimmy, searched until about 5:15 p.m. Thursday, when the search was suspended because of darkness, Bender said. They were assisted in the search with a helicopter from the San Juan County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office.

Greer is described as 5 feet 7 to 8 inches, 110 pounds and wearing blue jeans.

Greer was the person the deputy recognized as having an outstanding warrant, which led to the pursuit. He is wanted on a no-bond felony warrant for a failure to comply, which in all likelihood, means not meeting probation conditions from a previous sentencing, Bender said.

“He was driving a silver older model BMW that was not stolen, but not his. It belonged to a third party,” Bender said. “The car went into a ditch and partway up the hillside and suffered substantial damage.”

The Colorado State Patrol was also on scene.

abutler@durangoherald.com



Reader Comments