BONNER CO., Idaho — The Bonner County Sheriff’s Department and the Sandpoint Police Department dealt with a somewhat unusual crime spree last week.
According to officials, James Kerrigan caused over $12,000 of damage to the Sandpoint Police Department’s building on Sept. 15. The following day, Kerrigan was arrested by a Bonner County Sheriff’s Deputy for attempting to elude a peace officer causing damage and injury.
On Sept. 15, Kerrigan went to the Sandpoint Police Department to report that he had done significant damage to a Safeway men’s bathroom. Detective Skylar Ziegler called the Safeway to confirm this information then went back to the lobby. He saw a large amount of water flooding into the station’s offices and saw water spraying from a water pipe in the lobby.
Detective Ziegler then found Kerrigan lying on the floor face down, but breathing normally. Kerrigan was then transported by ambulance to Bonner General Health.
Later, Kerrigan told Detective Ziegler that he has manic episodes where he displays similar behavior.
According to Ziegler, surveillance footage from the police department shows Kerrigan hoisting himself onto the wall of the lobby and stomping the water pipe causing it to burst.
There was approximately two to two and a half inches of standing water in the offices of the Police Department, the officer said.
Kerrigan caused $12,000 in damages to the Sandpoint Police Department, according to officials.
The following day, Sept. 16, Kerrigan was driving a Coachman motor home on Highway 95 south. Another driver told Bonner Co. Deputy R. Black that he had seen Kerrigan driving recklessly and almost caused several collisions, according to the Sheriff’s department.
Deputy Black located the motor home on the roadway and noticed that it had its stairs completely extended, court documents stated.
After several attempts to pull the motor home over by Deputy Black, the driver attempted to drive between two stopped vehicles at a red light. In the process, the driver hit a pickup truck and caused major damage to both vehicles, documents said.
Court documents noted that the motor home finally came to a stop in the center divider of Highway 95 south of Schweitzer Cutoff road.
Another Deputy assisted Black in detaining Kerrigan.
The driver of the pickup truck was injured during the collision.
Kerrigan was charged with a felony of attempting to elude a peace officer causing damage and injury, court documents stated. As of Monday afternoon, he was still listed as an inmate in the Bonner County Jail.