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REBECCA BOONE,Associated Press
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BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A Nevada man has been charged with aggravated battery on a police officer and other felonies after prosecutors said he was involved in a standoff at a Twin Falls, Idaho, hotel that left a police officer injured and a bystander dead.
Clark J. Cleveland, 26, of Spring Creek, Nev., made his first appearance Monday in Twin Falls County's 5th District Court.
Tracy L. Ivie, 43, of Lindon, Utah, was shot Friday morning at the Hampton Inn and died of his injuries, the Twin Falls County prosecutor's office said. Ivie was a guest at the hotel.
Idaho State Police Trooper Nicholas Walker was also shot in the leg, said prosecutor Grant Loebs. Walker was treated at a local hospital and is now recovering at home.
In addition to aggravated battery on a police officer, Cleveland is charged with felony eluding and could face a stiffer penalty if convicted on the battery count because a gun was involved. Loebs said Cleveland could face other charges after investigators piece together what happened at the hotel - a complicated process that will take time because of the number of law enforcement agencies involved in the case.
"It wouldn't be surprising if there are going to be more charges," Loebs said. "All the reports haven't been written, and all the people haven't been interviewed. We'll be taking the next several days to analyze what we've gotten and the statements from witnesses."
The day of the standoff, a misdemeanor warrant was issued for Cleveland's arrest on allegations that he failed to show up for probation appointments stemming from a drunken driving conviction earlier this year, according to court documents. The two cases are not related, and it was not yet clear what, if anything, sparked Friday's chase and standoff, Loebs said.
Cleveland's criminal record in Idaho is limited - a few misdemeanors and a handful of sealed cases. Criminal cases can be sealed by the court for several reasons, such as if the defendant is a minor.
The trouble began Friday morning when an Idaho State Police trooper tried to make a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 93 near Twin Falls and the driver took off, police said. The ensuing chase reached estimated speeds of 100 miles per hour before the suspect's car crashed and the driver ran into a side door of the Hampton Inn. Police have questioned a passenger who was left behind in the vehicle. Loebs said he had not yet reviewed that person's statements.
Prosecutors said the suspect was the only person who fired shots inside the hotel, hitting Walker in the leg and taking another bystander hostage. That woman's name has not been released. Ivie was also shot and killed.
Twin Falls police spokesman Luke Allen said at the time that two Special Weapons and Tactics teams were sent inside the building and a negotiator was able to talk to the suspect inside the hotel. After about 30 minutes of negotiations, the suspect released the hostage unharmed and surrendered to law enforcement officers.
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