After being told by the Pennington County State Attorney’s Office that Chandler was shot after he almost hit troopers with a patrol car, Strawn set Chandler’s bond at $250,000.
The three-county chase to stop Chandler and his passenger, 23-year-old Joseph Paul Andrews of Rapid City, started Monday in Boulder Canyon when a Highway Patrol trooper tried to stop a tan Nissan. The pair fled east through Lawrence County into Meade County where they headed east on Interstate 90.
Chandler put the car in the ditch when troopers used road spikes, Pennington County Deputy State’s Attorney Kinsley Groote said at the court hearing.
Chandler abandoned the car and ran toward Butler Machinery on Deadwood Avenue. Williams stayed with the car.
Officers corralled Chandler near the Caterpillar dealership, handcuffed him and put him in a patrol car.
But Chandler managed “to slip his handcuffs” and tried to flee in the patrol car, according to Groote.
Once Chandler could use his hands, he took the patrol car and drove off. However, his escape came to an abrupt end when he drove into a dead end.
Chandler put the car in reverse, nearly hitting troopers when he changed directions, Groote said.
At that point, Trooper Mike Bock fired into the patrol car to stop Chandler, she said.
Chandler was hospitalized Monday, but he was released and processed into the Pennington County Jail around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Sara Rabern, the spokeswoman for the state Attorney General’s Office, said no additional details will be released until the investigation is completed.
During a remote court appearance from the Pennington County Jail on Wednesday, Chandler learned that the charges against him include two counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, first-degree escape, grand theft of property valued at more than $5,000 and aggravated eluding. Conviction on all charges could result in a maximum penalty of 72 years in prison and $144,000 in fines.
Chandler had already requested a court-appointed attorney when he appeared before Strawn on closed-circuit television Wednesday.
Aggravated eluding charges are nothing new for Chandler, whose adult criminal history stretches back to 2006 when he was 19 and includes two convictions for aggravated eluding.
Chandler was sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated eluding in 2007. His criminal history includes two simple assault convictions and guilty pleas to petty theft, disorderly conduct, underage drinking, obstructing police and one driving under the influence conviction.
A preliminary hearing for Chandler is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 15.
Andrews, who was arrested on a probation violation, is scheduled for court at 10 a.m. on Oct. 21.