Meth User Nearly Hit Kids on a Bike During Police Pursuit in Missoula
At around 6:40 p.m. on Sunday, a Missoula Police officer was patrolling on Orange Street and noticed a vehicle with its hazard lights activated. The vehicle was driving very slowly in the bicycle lane on the north side of the bridge. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold explains.
“The officer continued to observe the vehicle and noticed a female walking next to the car,” Arnold said. “The female was using body language and gestures that indicated the attention from the person inside the vehicle was unwelcomed. Out of concern for the safety of the female, the officer attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle took off in a highly populated area with many vehicles, pedestrians, and kids present. The vehicle drove over traffic circles, continued to fail to yield, and was doing an excess of 71-miles-per hour in a 25 mile zone.”
During the pursuit, the vehicle came dangerously close to hitting other vehicles in the roadway. At one point, the vehicle even came extremely close to hitting two young children.
“An officer observed two small kids on a bike,” Arnold said. “The vehicle had taken a turn down an alley and was heading straight toward the kids on the bike. The officer used his patrol car to block the kids on the bike, and positioned his patrol car with the hope that the fleeing suspect would go a different direction and not continue toward the innocent children. About 15 feet from the kids, the suspect male, 36-year-old Roman Sattler, bailed from the car and a foot chase began.”
An officer exited his patrol car and chased the male into a yard. There was a hill in the yard, and as the male started the climb the hill, the officer drew his taser.
“The officer caught up to Sattler and tased him,” Arnold said. “Sattler continued to be uncooperative with officers as they detained him. Sattler made mentions of health issues and officer immediately summoned medical to asses Sattler based on his claims. Sattler was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center on felony charges and this investigation is still continuing.”
Another officer looked at Sattler’s vehicle and observed what appeared to be drug paraphernalia visible in the passenger compartment. A search warrant for Sattler’s vehicle was applied for and granted.
During the search, officers found one used syringe, one used clear straight pipe, one used clear curved pipe, a butane torch, over 10 saline pouches, and one Ziploc bag with a white crystal substance inside. The officer also found a safe inside the vehicle that had more than 50 new syringes.
Court documents indicate Sattler admitted to being a meth user, and that recently he had been having difficulties due to his meth having fentanyl in it. Sattler made a comment that he may have used meth earlier in the day.
Sattler is currently being charged with criminal endangerment, fleeing from a peace officer, obstructing a peace officer, and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.