Dunning arrested in Colorado

After more than a week of pursuit, Elijah Mason Dunning, 21, was arrested in Broomfield, Colorado, on five charges: theft by receiving stolen property, a Class 2A felony; possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, a Class 1D felony; possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, a Class 2 felony; and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies.

Dunning had eluded law enforcement officers since Oct. 30.

At about 11 p.m. that night, Dunning was stopped by a Nebraska State Patrol officer for speeding while heading eastbound on Highway 30 away from Chappell.

According to an official affidavit, the 2014 Dodge Ram pulled over. As the trooper approached, the suspect looked at him and then drove off.

The vehicle drove more than a mile before going off road to perform a U-turn, heading back toward Chappell. The trooper pursued.

The vehicle "drove left of center" and "was traveling in excess of 90 mph."

The trooper discontinued when the vehicle reached Chappell "due to the high risk of safety for other people while going through town" and informed North Platte Dispatch of the incident.

The pursuit, joined by Sidney Police Department officers, continued with the driver heading west from Sunol and going south on L17J.

The vehicle turned west onto 1-80, then south onto NE17C to County Road 95 before going off road and striking a cable barrier.

The driver then fled on foot, which was not observed by officers. The vehicle was found empty, and the suspect "was not located after he fled on foot."

Located inside the impounded vehicle was a "fully loaded" Smith & Wesson handgun, and a glass pipe and black plastic case both with a substance that field-tested positive with amphetamine.

In the vehicle were "multiple identification cards such as drivers licenses, resident cards and social security cards belonging to multiple people."

Tools found in the Dodge Ram matched those reported stolen from a vehicle at Sidney Hampton Inn the same evening.

Also found in the Dodge Ram was mail addressed to Elijah Dunning of Commerce City, Colorado, and a Walmart receipt dated Oct. 30, 10 p.m.

Using the Walmart receipt, the SPD was able to secure surveillance video of a person who resembled the suspect in the pursuit. It was confirmed that Dunning was in Sidney and that he was a convicted felon.

Dunning was then located using the GPS coordinates of his cell phone.

According to Paul Schaub, Cheyenne County attorney, Dunning appeared in court in Colorado on Wednesday for a hearing on extradition.