County to pursue charges against Colorado man after high speed chase, unusual excuse

A high speed chase from Sidney to Chappell ended with the driver in protective custody after he was finally stopped by spike strips deployed on Interstate 80.

Doug Freude, 50, of Pueblo, Colo. led State Troopers in a pursuit along the Interstate June 26 after allegedly driving recklessly through multiple parking lots in Sidney and reportedly informing bystanders that people were trying to kill him.

"He endangered a lot of peoples' lives," said Deputy Cheyenne County Attorney, Jonathon Stellar.

The incident began when Nebraska State Trooper Jay Petersen heard a dispatch on the afternoon of June 26 about a black Pontiac that was reportedly driving erratically through the Wolf Auto parking lot, according to a State Patrol report. The driver was allegedly asking those he passed to call 911.

Soon after, Sidney police were dispatched to the Interstate 80 interchange to look for the motorist. State Trooper Bruce Okamoto asked for the assistance of another Trooper at the interchange to help with the motorist in the Pontiac.

Multiple Sidney residents called police around this time to report alleged erratic driving of someone in a black vehicle matching the plates of the Pontiac in the WalMart area.

Petersen left the Sidney office to assist with the issue. At this time, Okamoto was pursuing the vehicle traveling east on Interstate 80. Petersen followed in the same direction to attempt to catch up with the vehicle. Okamoto soon reported on his radio that the Pontiac exited the highway and then returned to I-80, heading east in the westbound lanes, against the flow of traffic.

At this point, the troopers were authorized to use tactical vehicle intervention, or to try to block the path of the car or make it swerve to the side, to stop the Pontiac. When Petersen saw three tractor trailers coming toward the vehicle, he crossed the median and attempted to block the car. The driver avoided Petersen's maneuver and turned through the median, continuing east, now in the eastbound lanes going with the flow of traffic.

Petersen attempted to stop the Pontiac using his vehicle, but ended up knocking his own car into the median, which he corrected, according to the report. Petersen remained in pursuit of the Pontiac with speeds varying between 70 and 110 mph.

The Pontiac allegedly continued to swerve in front of Petersen's car whenever the trooper attempted to overtake the other vehicle.

Petersen was informed by radio that the Deuel County Sheriff planned to deploy spike strips east of the Chappell interchange in an effort to end the chased. Because traffic on I-80 was light and the driver had stopped behaving erratically, Petersen agreed to this measure.

At around 2:30 p.m., the Pontiac hit the stop sticks, which deflated three of its tires. The driver then pulled over and stuck his hands out the window, according to the report.

Officials identified the driver as Douglas Freude of Pueblo. There were allegedly two full grown dogs and several puppies in the car. All seemed to be in distress because of the heat, according to the report.

There is no indication that Freude attempted to get away from officials or resist arrest after he was stopped by the spike strips.

"I believe he was cooperative," Stellar said.

Freude was read his Miranda rights, but then reportedly asked Petersen for advice. The suspect then allegedly told Petersen that he was being chased by Filipino security guards who wished him dead, the report said. Petersen told Freude that the troopers just wanted to help him. Freude reportedly informed Petersen that he couldn't tell the difference between the security guards chasing him and the police.

Court documents allege that Freude was confused about his whereabouts and said he must have gotten turned around because he was on his way to visit his children on the west coast. Freude reportedly voiced concern that the people following him had already killed his wife, who lived in Pueblo. Freude was also allegedly worried that his parents had been killed by the same people.

The Pontiac was towed and the animals were taken into the custody of Deuel County Animal Control. It was then determined that Freude should be taken into protective custody, rather than put in jail.

After Freude's parents were contacted, his mother allegedly informed police that Freude had a history of mental health issues and drug addiction.

While being treated at Sidney Regional Medical Center, Freude reportedly apologized to Petersen for all the trouble he caused and again voiced fear that people were trying to kill him. Freude was transported to Panhandle Mental Health Center, where he was taken into emergency protective custody.

The decision to put a suspect into protective custody instead of taking them to jail is made by the county and is based on a number of factors.

"It can be based on comments from them," said Deuel County Sheriff Adam Hayward. "If they're seeing things."

At this time, Freude has been released from protective care and is in the custody of Cheyenne County.

Although no one was hurt during this incident, troopers were forced to weigh public risk verses the need to pursue the vehicle.

"Anytime there's a pursuit, there's gonna be danger because you don't know what the other vehicle will do," said Lance Roger, a Lieutenant in the Nebraska State Patrol out of Scottsbluff.

The Nebraska State Patrol deals with approximately one high speed pursuit per week statewide. In the panhandle, however, the numbers slip to one every few months, Roger said.

Spike strips, like the ones deployed in this case are more useful in rural areas because the officials have time to lay them out between cars, unlike in more traffic-heavy locations, Roger said. Putting out spike strips is not a common practice for the Deuel County Sheriff.

"I've been here for nine years, and that's the first time I had to do it," Hayward pointed out.

Freude was charged with operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, possession of marijuana, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to provide information, failing to yield at a stop sign and going the wrong way on a one way.

Although Cheyenne County plans to look at any mitigating circumstances surrounding the charges, currently, it plans to go forward with the case against Freude.

"At this point, we are prosecuting it," Stellar acknowledged.

The county will consider any additional information discovered about Freude mental state and any drugs he might have been taking before deciding exactly how to proceed with the case, Stellar said.