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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Idaho fugitive arrested by North Dakota authorities

Nearly a year after a 10-year prison sentence ended for 57-year-old Mitchell Lee Walck, after he assaulted a corrections officer in a Montana jail, Walck fled from Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop near Athol, Idaho, beginning a half hour pursuit that led to the kidnapping of a Rathdrum woman.

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Montana State Department of Corrections

December 1, 2012

Midnight - Kootenai County Sheriff's deputies pull over Mitchell Lee Walck for not stopping at a stop sign south of Spirit Lake. He fled the scene, igniting a pursuit in his truck.

December 1, 2012

12:15 a.m. - After speeding away from Spirit Lake, Walck turned his truck in front of an Idaho State Police trooper near Athol, drawing him into the pursuit, court documents said.

December 1, 2012

12:25 a.m. - Rathdrum Police stretched spike strips across state Highway 41, blowing Walck’s truck tires. Walck flees on foot into the woods. A gunshot allegedly is fired at a pursuing officer.

December 1, 2012

12:30 a.m. - Authorities call off the pursuit and begin a search north of Rathdrum, calling upon a Spokane County Sheriff’s helicopter to search from above.

December 1, 2012

1 p.m. - Authorities call off the search because they can’t find Walck. They search his truck and learn his identity. Meanwhile, Susan Smith, 62, allegedly is approached at gunpoint by Walck sometime during the afternoon while she was letting her cat outside. Walck stayed at Smith’s ranch while he shaved, ate some food and bathed. He also allegedly stole two rifles from her home.

December 1, 2012

3:38 p.m. - The sun sets in North Idaho. Walck waited for nightfall before he kidnapped Smith in her own car to begin a 24-hour road trip, driving to Spokane Valley before getting on Interstate 90 and trekking through Idaho, Montana and North Dakota. They reportedly stopped at every rest area along the way, court documents said.

Full story: Court docs detail kidnapping

December 2, 2012

4:40 p.m. - Walck drives to North Dakota before turning around and dropping Smith off at an Albertsons grocery store in Glendive, Mont., about 30 miles from the state border. Walck tells Smith it’s in her best interest to give him a 45-minute head start before calling police. Walck was heading to a hidden travel trailer in western Montana, Smith later told authorities.

Full story: Fugitive releases abductee

December 2, 2012

4:45 p.m. - Smith calls her sister, a Spokane Valley resident, and the grocery store’s deli manager overhears her say: “I’ve been abducted and I need you to call the FBI.”

Full story: Kidnapping victim called relatives from Montana Albertsons

December 2, 2012

5:50 p.m. - Smith stays at the grocery store’s deli for about an hour before she’s picked up by Glendive police officers for transport to Billings, Mont.

December 2, 2012

10:44 p.m. - Idaho district court issues an arrest warrant with a $1 million bail for Mitchell Lee Walck on the charge of first degree kidnapping.

December 3, 2012

7:38 a.m. - Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office announces the kidnapping in a news release, but does not identity the victim. They also include the $1 million arrest warrant.

December 3, 2012

1:16 p.m. - Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office identifies the kidnapping victim as 62-year-old Susan Smith of Rathdrum, Idaho. Using information from Smith’s interview, authorities release information about Walck’s change of appearance and denies that Walck has connection to militia, racist or sovereign citizen groups, but he may adhere to the ideologies. Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest issues a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Walck.

December 3, 2012

1:26 p.m. - The FBI’s Salt Lake City division announces their involvement with the man hunt by alerting media outlets and law enforcement across the country.

December 3, 2012

5:39 p.m. - The FBI’s Salt Lake City division issues a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Walck.

December 4, 2012

1:08 p.m. - The return of kidnapping victim, Susan Smith, to the local area is announced in a Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office news release, but the details of the interview with her were not released.

December 5, 2012

10:06 a.m. - Mitchell Lee Walck is arrested after hiding in a man's vehicle at a Bismark, N.D. truck stop and threatening him with a hand gun. He runs away and is caught by Bismark Police in a mobile home park, hiding under a pine tree.

Full story: Armed kidnapping suspect captured in North Dakota

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Midnight - Kootenai County Sheriff's deputies pull over Mitchell Lee Walck for not stopping at a stop sign south of Spirit Lake. He fled the scene, igniting a pursuit in his truck.

12:15 a.m. - After speeding away from Spirit Lake, Walck turned his truck in front of an Idaho State Police trooper near Athol, drawing him into the pursuit, court documents said.

12:25 a.m. - Rathdrum Police stretched spike strips across state Highway 41, blowing Walck’s truck tires. Walck flees on foot into the woods. A gunshot allegedly is fired at a pursuing officer.

12:30 a.m. - Authorities call off the pursuit and begin a search north of Rathdrum, calling upon a Spokane County Sheriff’s helicopter to search from above.

1 p.m. - Authorities call off the search because they can’t find Walck. They search his truck and learn his identity. Meanwhile, Susan Smith, 62, allegedly is approached at gunpoint by Walck sometime during the afternoon while she was letting her cat outside. Walck stayed at Smith’s ranch while he shaved, ate some food and bathed. He also allegedly stole two rifles from her home.

3:38 p.m. - The sun sets in North Idaho. Walck waited for nightfall before he kidnapped Smith in her own car to begin a 24-hour road trip, driving to Spokane Valley before getting on Interstate 90 and trekking through Idaho, Montana and North Dakota. They reportedly stopped at every rest area along the way, court documents said.

Full story: Court docs detail kidnapping

4:40 p.m. - Walck drives to North Dakota before turning around and dropping Smith off at an Albertsons grocery store in Glendive, Mont., about 30 miles from the state border. Walck tells Smith it’s in her best interest to give him a 45-minute head start before calling police. Walck was heading to a hidden travel trailer in western Montana, Smith later told authorities.

Full story: Fugitive releases abductee

4:45 p.m. - Smith calls her sister, a Spokane Valley resident, and the grocery store’s deli manager overhears her say: “I’ve been abducted and I need you to call the FBI.”

Full story: Kidnapping victim called relatives from Montana Albertsons

5:50 p.m. - Smith stays at the grocery store’s deli for about an hour before she’s picked up by Glendive police officers for transport to Billings, Mont.

10:44 p.m. - Idaho district court issues an arrest warrant with a $1 million bail for Mitchell Lee Walck on the charge of first degree kidnapping.

7:38 a.m. - Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office announces the kidnapping in a news release, but does not identity the victim. They also include the $1 million arrest warrant.

1:16 p.m. - Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office identifies the kidnapping victim as 62-year-old Susan Smith of Rathdrum, Idaho. Using information from Smith’s interview, authorities release information about Walck’s change of appearance and denies that Walck has connection to militia, racist or sovereign citizen groups, but he may adhere to the ideologies. Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest issues a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Walck.

1:26 p.m. - The FBI’s Salt Lake City division announces their involvement with the man hunt by alerting media outlets and law enforcement across the country.

5:39 p.m. - The FBI’s Salt Lake City division issues a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Walck.

1:08 p.m. - The return of kidnapping victim, Susan Smith, to the local area is announced in a Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office news release, but the details of the interview with her were not released.

10:06 a.m. - Mitchell Lee Walck is arrested after hiding in a man's vehicle at a Bismark, N.D. truck stop and threatening him with a hand gun. He runs away and is caught by Bismark Police in a mobile home park, hiding under a pine tree.

Full story: Armed kidnapping suspect captured in North Dakota

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