A man suspected of stealing a semitrailer and leading police on a two-county chase could face property destruction charges for damage caused during the pursuit.

David Lee Dykes, 38, already faces charges of reckless driving, attempting to elude police and leaving the scene of an accident. On Wednesday, prosecutors said they anticipated filling the additional property destruction charge but were waiting to receive reports on road and guard rail damage.

Throughout the Tuesday chase, officers used spike strips to try to disable a belly dump trailer driven by Dykes. The spikes damaged the trailer's tires, but the semi did not stop, even though its two front wheels were running on their rims for much of the pursuit.

The pursuit began in Midwest, headed south on Highway 259 to the junction with Interstate 25, then turned north before ending on the off ramp to Kaycee.

On Wednesday, Dykes made his first appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court, where he pleaded not guilty to three misdemeanor charges stemming from the incident. Judge Michael Huber set his bond at $5,000.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Schafer told the court Dykes was recently released from the Wyoming State Penitentiary and was on parole before his arrest. He called Dykes' criminal record "longer than anything I have ever seen."

Dykes sat through much of the hearing looking down or resting his head on his left hand. When asked if he had anything to say regarding his bond, he told Huber no.

Schafer also told the court that prosecutors in Campbell County will charge Dykes with the theft of the trailer. The owner of Wyoming Welding and Trucking Inc. near Gillette reported the trailer stolen just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

A pickup was found at the business, and the Campbell County Sheriff's Office says it traced the truck's license plates to Dykes.

At about 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Natrona County Sheriff's Office learned of hit-and-run accident in the Edgerton area involving a semitrailer. A man reported that the rig hit his parked Ford F350 pickup and then drove off.

Police in Midwest spotted the semitrailer, and the pursuit began when it failed to stop.

Authorities released new details about the chase Wednesday afternoon. An affidavit signed by a Natrona County sheriff's deputy described how the semitrailer lost all the rubber on its right front wheel before turning onto Interstate 25. The left tire was destroyed shortly afterward.

When the rig reached Kaycee, it drove through the town, then got back on Interstate 25 heading north. It eventually turned south and passed Kaycee again, before reversing course once again, according to the affidavit.

The semitrailer, which also had a piece of wood sticking out of one of its diesel tanks, finally stopped at the bottom of the Kaycee off ramp, where Dykes was handcuffed and taken into custody.

Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.