Fugitive crashes through Idaho Falls fence, witness describes mayhem

An early Sunday morning burglary leads to a car theft and chase in Idaho Falls.

It was an intense morning for Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies, and ended in the arrest of two fugitives.

Deputies arrested 23 year old Curtis Dredge around 8:30 a.m. in a field near Sandy Downs in Bonneville County after reports of a house burglary in the early morning hours.

Another man police have connected to that burglary — 40-year-old Michael Fox — was arrested after leading police on a chase through an Idaho Falls neighborhood. He eventually crashed a stolen silver Buick through a fence at a home near Higbee and Hartert.

“I heard a loud crash and then I heard a siren almost immediately afterward,” said Rick MacMullan, who lives next door to the house where the chase ended.

“I came out and there were sheriff deputies with vehicles on both sides of the street,” he said. “I could tell a car had come across my lawn.”

The car was a stolen Buick driven by 40 year old Michael Fox. Fox raced through a stop sign at Higbee and Hartert with Bonneville deputies in hot pursuit.

“One of my neighbors was jogging and she was cowering behind the trees,” said MacMullan. “He almost hit her as she was running.”

MacMullan said he heard the car smash through his neighbor’s fence — only feet between the two homes.

“A very intense morning,” he said.

Fox took off after the crash — a call by deputies was placed to neighbors telling them to stay inside and lock their doors.

Fox was arrested soon after in connection with the burglary earlier Sunday morning.

Another man — 23 year old Curtis Dredge — was arrested in a field near sandy downs around 8:30 a.m..

“My son and I are going to help put up a barrier across here,” said MacMullan.

Less than an hour after the chaos, MacMullan was already hard at work to rebuild his neighbor’s fence.

“That’s what our next task is,” said MacMullan.

Both Fox and Dredge were arrested in connection to the burglary.

Fox is facing additional charges of vehicle theft and felony eluding.