1 dead after car crash during police chase

A Nevada man is dead after his pickup crashed in Idaho during a high-speed chase.

Ada County Coroner Dotti Owens says 35-year-old Daniel Abel of Owyhee, Nevada died Thursday night at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. A passenger in the pickup, 37-year-old Luther Thomas of Fallon, Nevada, was wearing a seatbelt and survived the crash.

The Idaho State Police says Abel was believed to have already eluded Bureau of Indian Affairs officers during several high-speed chases earlier on Thursday, and an ISP trooper attempted to pull Abel over after spotting his GMC pickup on Highway 51 in Owyhee County. The trooper said the man appeared to be driving dangerously and took off at a high rate of speed when the traffic stop was attempted.

The chase continued until Abel apparently lost control of his pickup, which plunged over an embankment. Abel was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle.

Owens says Abel’s blood alcohol content was more than 3 times the legal limit. The crash remains under investigation.