CEDAR CITY, Utah, June 21, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A motorist officers say was high on drugs tried to outrun them in a high-speed chase in downtown Cedar City which ended when he drove into the county jail parking lot.
Events began when the suspect was observed running a stop light at the intersection of 200 North and Main Street, according to charging documents. “I activated my overhead lights and sirens to stop the suspect vehicle,” the arresting Cedar City police officer for Jeffrey Thomas Weber, 44, writes in a probable cause statement.
“The vehicle continued to drive at high speeds, passing through several stop lights. I observed the suspect vehicle swerving into other lanes several times as well as opening and shutting the driver side door multiple times during the pursuit.
“I believe the suspect driver demonstrated wanton disregard for the safety of himself and others on the road.”
But after the 20-block race northbound on Main Street the 7:30 a.m. chase Sunday suddenly ended when Weber abruptly steered his white Dodge van into the county jail parking lot at 2132 N. Main.
“I followed the suspect vehicle into the parking lot of the Iron County Jail where he stopped,” reads the statement. “I gave clear commands to the suspect driver to exit the vehicle with his hands up” after which he was detained by multiple officers.
The suspect showed signs of impairment, the officer wrote, including an inability to understand and follow instructions, comprehend questions, and repeated himself multiple times while having a hard time sitting still.
After Weber was read his Miranda rights, he admitted to using methamphetamine and a prescription drug meant for neurological problems or addiction treatment in the past 24 hours. He is now charged in Cedar City’s 5th District Court with driving while impaired, evading police and reckless driving.
