Delia D'Ambra

Then they turned their attention to finding the suspects who'd taken off into the woods. But just as they were doing that, the young man who'd been taken hostage materialized from the tree line and sprinted across the home's lawn to join his girlfriend's family. He told authorities that the two men who'd taken him at gunpoint had decided at the last minute to let him go.

Then they turned their attention to finding the suspects who'd taken off into the woods. But just as they were doing that, the young man who'd been taken hostage materialized from the tree line and sprinted across the home's lawn to join his girlfriend's family. He told authorities that the two men who'd taken him at gunpoint had decided at the last minute to let him go.

He described how his captors had dragged him through the trees and across a nearby roadway called Lignite Road. Then they'd made a beeline to a gold-colored vehicle before one of them abruptly ordered the other to release him. After that, the teenager said the masked man got into their car and took off, headed south.

He described how his captors had dragged him through the trees and across a nearby roadway called Lignite Road. Then they'd made a beeline to a gold-colored vehicle before one of them abruptly ordered the other to release him. After that, the teenager said the masked man got into their car and took off, headed south.

Now, at that point, other members of law enforcement had become aware of the unfolding situation and were on alert. By sheer coincidence, a detective for Bonner County, who was just a few miles away from the crime scene, saw a gold Chevrolet Monte Carlo speed past him, headed in the opposite direction.

Now, at that point, other members of law enforcement had become aware of the unfolding situation and were on alert. By sheer coincidence, a detective for Bonner County, who was just a few miles away from the crime scene, saw a gold Chevrolet Monte Carlo speed past him, headed in the opposite direction.

This detective had heard the description of the alleged suspect's vehicle come over his radio and surmised that the drivers of the gold car that had just passed him were likely involved in the home invasion. so he whipped his cruiser around and started pursuing the Monte Carlo.

This detective had heard the description of the alleged suspect's vehicle come over his radio and surmised that the drivers of the gold car that had just passed him were likely involved in the home invasion. so he whipped his cruiser around and started pursuing the Monte Carlo.

He chased the vehicle north in the direction of the city of Sandpoint, and waiting to intercept the car there was a group of city police officers. But the driver of the Monte Carlo avoided that roadblock and took a hard left on a roadway called Lakeshore Drive, which happened to be slick and covered with snow at the time.

He chased the vehicle north in the direction of the city of Sandpoint, and waiting to intercept the car there was a group of city police officers. But the driver of the Monte Carlo avoided that roadblock and took a hard left on a roadway called Lakeshore Drive, which happened to be slick and covered with snow at the time.

Despite treacherous conditions for a car chase, the detective who was pursuing the gold car didn't fall back. Well, that is until someone sitting in the passenger seat of the Chevy leaned out and shot several times into the detective's windshield. That was the point when the detective figured enough was enough, and he pulled back.

Despite treacherous conditions for a car chase, the detective who was pursuing the gold car didn't fall back. Well, that is until someone sitting in the passenger seat of the Chevy leaned out and shot several times into the detective's windshield. That was the point when the detective figured enough was enough, and he pulled back.

The gold car then sped out of sight, and thankfully the detective wasn't injured, but his front windshield was toast. From that point, it was up to his colleagues to find the gold car and its occupants. Around 10 p.m., even more officers and deputies got involved in the manhunt, and teams eventually found the suspect's vehicle wrecked into a snowbank.

The gold car then sped out of sight, and thankfully the detective wasn't injured, but his front windshield was toast. From that point, it was up to his colleagues to find the gold car and its occupants. Around 10 p.m., even more officers and deputies got involved in the manhunt, and teams eventually found the suspect's vehicle wrecked into a snowbank.

It was on the left-hand side of the roadway it was last seen on. No one was inside, but several rounds of ammunition, magazines, and firearms were in the trunk. The caliber of the abandoned ammo indicated that the suspects were armed with pistols and at least one shotgun. In the snow, trailing away from the car were shoe prints that led investigators over a snowbank and further into the woods.

It was on the left-hand side of the roadway it was last seen on. No one was inside, but several rounds of ammunition, magazines, and firearms were in the trunk. The caliber of the abandoned ammo indicated that the suspects were armed with pistols and at least one shotgun. In the snow, trailing away from the car were shoe prints that led investigators over a snowbank and further into the woods.

Before setting off to follow the prints, the sheriff's office looked up the Monte Carlo's license plate information and discovered that it was registered to a local resident named Joseph Pratt. Some deputies who worked for the sheriff's office at the time recognized Joseph's name because he'd been living in Sandpoint.

Before setting off to follow the prints, the sheriff's office looked up the Monte Carlo's license plate information and discovered that it was registered to a local resident named Joseph Pratt. Some deputies who worked for the sheriff's office at the time recognized Joseph's name because he'd been living in Sandpoint.

They also knew he had a brother named James Pratt, who'd been seen around town from time to time. Joseph was 27 years old and James was 29. Armed with this information, investigators with the city and county agencies as well as the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Department of Fish and Game followed the foot tracks that they believed the Pratt brothers had left in the snow.

They also knew he had a brother named James Pratt, who'd been seen around town from time to time. Joseph was 27 years old and James was 29. Armed with this information, investigators with the city and county agencies as well as the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Department of Fish and Game followed the foot tracks that they believed the Pratt brothers had left in the snow.