LAKE ANDES — A Wagner man was sentenced Monday to serve more than two years in prison for leading law enforcement in a chase in a stolen car last summer.
Donald Cournoyer Jr., 36, pleaded guilty to two felony offenses in February and was given concurrent prison sentences with credit in both for the 243 days he spent in jail prior to sentencing.
According to court documents, Cournoyer sped away from Wagner Police Chief Tim Simonsen after being seen the morning of July 19 at a Wagner gas station. A pursuit began, during which Cournoyer drove toward the community of Marty at speeds of up to 80 mph, almost hitting cows on the road at one point.
During the chase, Cournoyer, driving a Chevy Suburban that was later found to have been stolen from a Wagner woman that morning, was alleged to have swerved toward a Charles Mix County deputy who had deployed spike strips on the road. After driving over a second set of spikes, Cournoyer drove into a ravine and fled on foot.
Deputies lost Cournoyer's trail after he exited the vehicle, but he was arrested in August.
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Cournoyer was sentenced to five years in prison with two years suspended for stealing the vehicle and two years for aggravated eluding, with additional credit for time served. He was ordered to pay $106.50 in court costs.
