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Thong Van Truong

Steamboat Springs — A 46-year-old Craig man led Routt County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a car chase that reached 90 mph on the west end of Steamboat Springs on Sunday evening, ending when the man drove off a 50-foot embankment and rolled his vehicle.

Thong Van Tru­­ong was conscious and breathing when deputies got to him at the bottom of the embankment, near the railroad tracks near mile marker 115 on U.S. Highway 40.

After treatment, deputies booked Truong on suspicion of driving under the influence, vehicular eluding, careless driving, failure to use a turn signal and speeding 20 to 24 miles per hour over the speed limit.

West Routt Fire Protection Chief Bryan Rickman said Truong was not wearing a seatbelt, but his airbags did deploy and he was not thrown from the car. Truong got out of the car by himself, and medical crews took him to Yampa Valley Medical Center with moderate but not life-threatening injuries.

Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Mellisa Baumgartner said deputies initially were called to a report of Truong failing to yield near mile marker 126 on U.S. 40. According to dispatch logs, the call came in after 7 p.m. He then was eastbound, headed for Steamboat. When he reached city limits, he reportedly turned around and headed back toward Hayden. Hayden Police Department officers were prepared to use spike sticks to puncture his tires if he got near town, Baumgartner said, but he drove off the road first.

Truong was released Sunday on a $750 bond. His next hearing is Aug. 24 at 8:30 a.m. in Routt County Court.