Man tries to evade police via railroad tracks

BONNERS FERRY — A man is facing a handful of charges after police claim he decided to drive down the railroad tracks and evade police.

Andrew Smith, 32, is charged with fleeing the police and injury to railroad property, both felonies, along with a number of misdemeanors, including concealment of evidence, driving under the influence, drug possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Court records indicate that the Kootenai River Inn refused to serve Smith any longer and then called dispatch when he allegedly got in his car and drove away. At approximately 9:31 p.m. Dec. 9, Bonners Ferry Police Officer Brandon Johnson found Smith’s silver Chevy Silverado at Arizona and Plaza streets, parked at the railroad crossing as a train was going by on the adjacent tracks. 

The vehicle had broken through the crossing arm, breaking it, Johnson wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

Instead of continuing south onto Plaza Street, the vehicle turned west onto the existing roadway and then landed on the railroad tracks. The vehicle then drove westbound, straddling the rails on the BNSF railway. 

Johnson turned on his vehicle’s lights and sirens off and on to get the attention of the driver, who then “punched the throttle moving westbound at approximately 40 mph.”

The Silverado got approximately a mile down the racks before both tires were shredded and the vehicle became high-centered on the rails and stopped.

Johnson made contact with the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, who was allegedly still attempting to drive off, according to the probable cause affidavit. 

Johnson wrote in the affidavit that, as Smith was removed from the vehicle, he allegedly threw something from his pocket into the snow. When the officer asked what Smith had thrown away, he allegedly replied, “Just that weed pen.” 

Smith was then arrested and transported to jail. 

This is the third time that Smith has been charged with driving under the influence in 10 years. Bond was set to $40,000 and arraignment is set for Jan. 3, 2024, at 9 a.m.