A 38-year-old Post Falls man is behind bars after police say he burglarized a residence and rammed a deputy's patrol vehicle Wednesday night south of Coeur d'Alene.
Justin A. Klauba was arrested and charged with felony malicious injury to property, felony burglary, felony eluding and resisting arrest, according to a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office news release.
Authorities said the incident started around 8:10 p.m. when a homeowner reported a possible burglary at his residence in the Gotham Bay area.
One deputy located Klauba's vehicle on Gotham Bay Road heading toward state Highway 97.
The release said Klauba failed to stop and a pursuit started. Klauba eventually stopped in the middle of the road, and the deputy exited his vehicle and commanded Klauba to get out of his. Instead, Klauba reportedly rammed the deputy's vehicle, disabling it, and continued toward Highway 97.
Other deputies located Klauba inside his vehicle behind a locked gate to another property. Klauba again reportedly refused deputies' commands to exit the vehicle. A SWAT team was called because of the vehicle pursuit, Klauba's failure to follow deputies' commands and that Klauba was suspected of stealing a gun from the residence.
Klauba was taken into custody after an hour standoff, the release said. He sustained minor injuries because of a K-9 bite.
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