Nov. 8 – A Troy man accused of leading law enforcement officers from two states and three provinces on a wild and bizarre chase in January is back in custody after allegedly violating his conditions of release.
Caleb David Covey, 38, was returned to the Lincoln County Detention Center on Oct. 28 following a report from probation and parole officer Alice Rhodes.
According to her report, on October 24, she received a call from the defendant’s mother that he was not taking his prescribed medications and was exhibiting strange behavior. The report also indicated that Covey’s mother believed her son may have been having a psychotic episode.
She also said he drove his truck into the yard in front of their house.
Under Covey’s release conditions, he was not allowed to operate a motor vehicle between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. and must take all medications prescribed to him.
Covey, who pleaded not guilty on February 26 to multiple felonies following the hour-long, mile-long chase through southern Lincoln County and into Boundary County, Idaho on January 13, was released on July 2 after posting $500,000 bail.
Defense attorney Sean Hinchey requested a reduction in his bail. At a hearing on May 16, Hinchey argued that the original $2.5 million bail was excessive, citing that the crimes were largely property crimes and his mental health issues.
During the hearing, Covey’s mother testified about her son’s serious mental health diagnosis and the struggle to maintain medication compliance. County Attorney Marcia Boris argued that while police understood Covey’s family’s position, the family had not been confident in his adherence to mental health treatment in the past.
Judge Amy Eddy agreed that the $2.5 million bail was excessive and lowered it to $500,000, paving the way for Covey’s release on July 2.
According to a court document, Hinchey and Boris had received copies of Covey’s evaluation during an Oct. 21 hearing for Eddy that indicated he was fit to continue.
Three days later, authorities received the call from Covey’s mother that he was acting “strangely.”
Covey’s bond is currently set at $750,000. He will appear for another bail hearing on Friday, November 22 at 8:30 am. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for January 23, 2025, and a jury trial is set to begin on February 26.
Covey faces seven misdemeanor charges, six misdemeanor charges and one misdemeanor theft charge.
According to the Montana Department of Corrections, Covey was first held at a confidential location after being taken to Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with several self-inflicted injuries after the chase ended on Highway 200.
According to a statement from Lincoln County Sheriff’s Captain John Davis in the probable cause affidavit, Covey said he slit this throat in an attempt to avoid going to jail.
“How did that not work? This is stupid, how did this not work,” Covey allegedly told Davis during his arrest. “This was my mission and it didn’t work, I should have died.”
Police officers weren’t the only ones trying to stop Covey’s alleged rampage. A number of civilians also tried to help derail Covey’s pickup as it was towing another man’s truck through Libby.
One of the men later went to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center for injuries sustained during the incident.
According to the charging document, it appears the incident was the result of a case of mistaken identity.
Libby Police Officer Caleb Thomas spoke with the owner of a truck that Covey allegedly stole and drugged around Libby. The man said he did not know Covey, but a neighbor reportedly told him that Covey’s girlfriend used to live in the man’s house.
The chase began on Saturday, January 13 at approximately 3:39 p.m. According to a story by Libby Police Officer Don Luthey, he was dispatched to a possible collision at a home on Main Avenue. Luthey received information from Lincoln County Dispatch that a Ford F350 pickup was towing a camouflage Toyota pickup. The towed truck had struck a fence on Main Avenue, then a parked vehicle and a utility pole on California Avenue. After hitting the pole, the tow rope came loose, but an eyewitness said the man driving the Ford reattached the strap to the Toyota and drove away.
The chase ended when Covey slowed down while driving on the winding road with high cliffs on the right and a concrete jersey barrier on the left. Davis drove alongside Covey’s vehicle, pushed it aside where it spun and stopped. He pulled out his gun and yelled at Covey to get out of the truck.
