High-speed chase passes through Saratoga twice

A Texas man passed through Saratoga twice in a high-speed chase before finally being arrested near Sinclair.

The chase started 2:30 a.m. July 16 after Saratoga police officer George Phillips found Justin Lee, of Milano, Texas, sleeping in his vehicle in Saratoga.

Phillips began a DUI investigation when Lee started his black Ford 350 and began driving away.

“In the middle of the investigation, the guy jumped in his vehicle and took off,” said Saratoga Chief of Police Tom Nickerbocker, who later joined in pursuit.

Lee drove toward Encampment with Phillips and Saratoga Police Sgt. Robert Bifano in pursuit, Nickerbocker said. Lee later turned around and changed direction.

“The chase started here and went to Encampment,” Nickerbocker said. “They continued the chase from Encampment to Saratoga.”

Phillips and Bifano then called for more backup, prompting Nickerbocker and a Carbon County Sheriff’s Department deputy to pursue Lee’s vehicle.

“Right when I got into my squad car, they flew right by Saratoga,” Nickerbocker said.

All four law enforcement officers followed Lee who was exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour. The officers lost sight of Lee’s vehicle somewhere near Walcott Junction.

“By the time we got to the top of the hill we couldn’t tell if he went east north or west,” Nickerbocker said.

Lee had taken Interstate 80 westbound toward Rawlins where he was seen by Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Tommy Kennedy.

Kennedy said he noticed the truck matched the description of Lee’s vehicle which was called in earlier that morning.

Kennedy pulled Lee over on Highway 71 near Sinclair sighting him for DUI, open container, reckless driving and failure to use a turn signal.