A Bonding Experience

A Bonding Experience

Two years ago I became a licensed bondsman but left the business behind when I moved Island Park. I do occasional bounty hunting for my old employer when someone doesn't show up for court and can’t be found. I received a job this week and it reminded me of an earlier recovery that I did last November.

I was asked to pick up a 33 year old man who failed to appear in court. I did some checking with informants in Pocatello and located him in a second floor apartment of a complex near Pocatello High. It was a late evening when the manager gave me access to the apartment and I found my target hiding in a back bedroom. When he initially saw me, he charged but he suddenly wheeled around and ran back into the bedroom. He threw a shoulder into a blind-covered window with a crash! I grabbed his ankle as he went through the blind and out the broken window.  The next thing I knew, I was dangling a fugitive 20 feet above the ground. As I tried to pull him back into the room, he kicked at me repeatedly with his free foot. A tug of war ensued through the ragged glass shards of the window remnants. After several minutes of fighting, the suspect kicked loose and fell, head first to the ground. Getting up slowly and dazed, he hobbled off into the night. I notified the Pocatello Police that the suspect had fled. Neither the swarming patrol officers nor Sheri and I (she had been waiting in the truck) found him. We drove home disappointed and empty handed.

Two days later, I received a call from an informant and was advised that my fugitive was hiding in his mother’s house in American Falls. The plan was to have the Power County Sheriff take custody once the suspect was apprehended so I invited Sheri, Heather, Luke and Aspen (our dog) to ride along. Why waste a trip to the flat when you can get some shopping done!

Checking in at the Sheriff’s office, I recruited a few deputies and headed over to the mother’s house. She let me in and I found her son hiding under a bed. He was in no condition to run. He had lacerations and embedded glass in his leg. One arm was bandaged and thought broken. He was in misery and very compliant. The deputies transported him to their jail but jailers would not accept him because of his injuries. Bannock County Jail declined him until I had a hospital release.  

I cuffed and loaded him up into the Suburban with the wife, daughter, grandson and dog and transported him to the Pocatello hospital. We had a pleasant visit along the way. Luke innocently quizzed him, wanting to know why he was hurt and in handcuffs. He was apologetic for resisting me during our previous encounter. He had realized that the pain from the injuries wasn't worth the two extra days of freedom. I stayed with the suspect while he was being treated at the hospital and while the family took the occasion to get some shopping done.

Two hours later, my new companion was released and the women picked us up. We drove him to the Bannock County Jail and after one last cigarette; our fugitive was turned over to the jailers.

While Sheri has helped on several arrests, this was Heather’s second and Luke’s first!  I guess you take family bonding experiences where you can find them.