SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, May 9, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Summit County Sheriff’s office has released a statement about an eastbound chase that left three people in a Jeep injured at the Interstate 80/I-215 split in Salt Lake County.
The pursuit began at 12:47 a.m. Tuesday with an attempted traffic stop at State Route 224 and Bear Cut after a deputy observed multiple traffic violations, the SCSO statement says.
“The pursuit continued with varying speeds down Parley’s Canyon,” the news release says. “While attempting to take an exit onto I-215, the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to roll multiple times.”
According to unconfirmed scanner reports, speeds at several points exceeded 100 mph.
Utah Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Cameron Roden said his agency is handling the crash portion of the incident, and the Jeep Liberty had two females and one male inside, with a female driving.
“They took the ramp to go southbound on I-215 on the east side, and it looks like they may have even tried to go back on the I-80 ramp from there, and it looks like they may have misjudged the curve and lost control of the Jeep,” he said.
“The driver tried to correct, and it rolled and hit the concrete barrier, and rolled over the barrier coming to a rest on the ramps to southbound I-15.”
The Summit County Sheriff statement says two people in the vehicle were ejected, and one was extricated by fire personnel. All three were taken to local medical facilities for treatment, it says.
Roden said injuries were not as bad as first believed.
“So they listed those initially in critical condition, but as they were on scene they ended up upgrading them to serious condition,” Roden said. “It does not appear that any of those injuries are going to be life threatening.”
Roden said he believed the driver was a female.
The road was closed until about 4 a.m., he said.
The Summit County Sheriff statement says two of the vehicle occupants have multiple outstanding warrants for their arrest, and contraband was found.
“During a search of the vehicle and the wreckage, distribution amounts of methamphetamine and paraphernalia were located,” it says. “Suspected stolen items which include U.S. mail were also located within the wreckage.
“The identities of the vehicle’s occupants will not be released at this time.”
