By TOM DIDDEL
On Wednesday a Missoula Police Detective was honored for ending a vehicle chase and taking an armed man into custody.
The chase was unorthodox in that Detective Scott King and the suspect were both on bicycles. It started when Detectives King and Chris Shermer heard a disturbance call over their radio on their way to a meeting.
The detectives were the first to arrive on the scene and witnessed a large man pushing a smaller man on the south bank of the Clark Fork River, according to KPAX.com. It was at this point when the smaller man ran toward the detectives and the larger man, described as “6’11″ and well over over 200 pounds,” jumped on his bike and pedaled off.
The quick thinking Detective King knew he would not be able to catch the fleeing suspect on foot so in true Missoulia fashion he borrowed a bike from the apparent victim and gave chase.
After nearly a mile and a half bike race, King purposely crashed his bike into the suspect’s and successfully stopped the fleeing man using a off-shoot of the PIT Maneuver.
After what is described as a “tense standoff” Detective King was able to handcuff the suspect, Joseph Peasley of Missoula. The suspect was later found to
be carrying a folding knife, a gun, and a ski-mask in his backpack.
Missoulians should be proud to have a law-enforcement officer so dedicated to doing his duty that he will use any mode of transportation available, be it horse, car, or in this instance bicycle, to apprehend a danger to the community.
In an era when police officers are often criticized for every wrong move they make, it is refreshing to see Detective King’s actions demonstrate why the term “Missoula’s Finest” is a well-earned and well-deserved title.
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Each week, Tom Diddel recaps the week’s most talked-about story in Missoula. Visit the Make it Missoula News & Opinion section for more talk of the town.
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Tom Diddel has lived in Missoula on and off for nearly thirty-eight years. He enjoys skiing, hiking, and many other outdoor activities. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Montana and is currently working as a Freelance Writer and a Para-Educator.