Police say a 31-year-old man arrested after a crash ended a Phoenix-area car chase made anti-government statements but his attorney says the statements stem from mental health issues, not political beliefs.
Mitchell Timothy Taebel of Long Beach, Indiana, and Los Angeles remains jailed on suspicion of endangerment and other crimes after being arrested following the crash Wednesday in Tempe.
Police say the chase began when Taebel was speeding and wouldn't pull over and ended when Taebel's SUV collided with a vehicle driven by a woman who suffered injuries not life-threatening.
Police say Taebel asserted he could ignore laws infringing on his freedom and that he had authority to kill officers trying to arrest him.
Attorney Brian Russo says Taebel was "previously diagnosed with some mental health issues" that haven't been addressed.
