Inmate in wild car chase given five-year sentence

By John Grant Emeigh - 09/13/2008

A Butte pre-release inmate who led police on a wild car chase in May was sentenced Friday to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections.

Robert Skartved Jr., 21, was sentenced in Butte district court on charges of felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and obstructing a peace officer.

Skartved was arrested on the afternoon of May 2, after fleeing from police in a car at high speeds throughout the south end of town. Police had to deploy spikes to deflate the tires of the car he was driving.

Judge Kurt Krueger sentenced Skartved to eight years with three years suspended. The judge also gave him a six-month suspended sentence for each of the misdemeanor counts.

Michael Voeller, 27, who was Skartved's passenger, received a six-month suspended sentence in May for trying to run from police in that incident.

The chase started when a worker for the Butte pre-release center recognized Skartved, who was driving a white Dodge Intrepid, as a walk-away from the center and notified police. When a police patrol tried to pull over the vehicle, the driver drove away.

Police say the driver weaved in and out of traffic recklessly in an attempt to flee law enforcement.

— John Grant Emeigh, The Montana Standard