What began as a traffic stop for speeding quickly turned into a high-speed chase and a pair of collisions for one Cortez man and two Montezuma County sheriff’s deputies early Sunday morning.

According to reports, Chris Moore, 25, was driving south on Broadway at a high rate of speed when Deputy Jason Spruell passed him, headed in the opposite direction. Spruell then radioed ahead to Deputy Keith Hoffman, who clocked Moore going 74 mph in a 55-mph zone near the M & M truck stop.

Spruell, who had turned around and followed Moore, then turned on his overhead lights, but Moore didn’t pull over.

About a half-mile later, Moore reportedly stopped his car in the middle of the road, put the vehicle in reverse and backed up.

The report said Spruell pulled over to the side of the road to avoid a collision while Moore turned his vehicle around facing north and attempted to get around Hoffman.

Moore’s vehicle then smashed into Hoffman’s patrol Jeep, causing damage to the left front quarter-panel.

"It wasn’t immobilized at the time but there quite a bit of damage," Hoffman said. "Deputy Spruell had already turned around and was continuing the pursuit. I was able to rejoin."

According to the report, Moore sped back north and missed the turn at the M & M, where his vehicle shot over the median and collided with an immobile semi.

" We believe he was trying to make the right turn to go east on County Road G," Hoffman said. "We think he lost control, which caused him to shoot straight across the median and go underneath the tractor-trailer, and then he attempted to escape again in the vehicle."

Hoffman said Moore’s jeep had blown out three of its tires — two front ones and the left rear, and he was still trying to dislodge the vehicle.

"It appeared the steering and suspension had been damaged, so he wasn’t able to get the steering wheel to turn," Hoffman said. "He wouldn’t turn the vehicle off. He kept pulling forward and pulling back trying get the vehicle loose — squealing the tires."

The pursuit came to an end without any injuries to the suspect or the deputies.

"I was glad we were able to stop him before he injured someone," Hoffman said. "From his actions I believe he probably would have hurt someone else, the way he was driving."

Moore refused a blood test to determine the level of alcohol in his system at the time of the incident.

"There was a strong odor of alcoholic beverage," Hoffman said.