Bountiful Man Takes Officers on Drunken High Speed Chase Hitting Four Vehicles
BOUNTIFUL, UTAH – July 7, 2015 (Gepahrdt Daily) – A Bountiful man was finally stopped in South Weber after taking several officers on a high speed chase hitting three police officers’ cars and a civilian’s vehicle before narrowly missing two fishermen by an embankment.
Police were dispatched to the area of 577 North 200 West on the report of a possible DUI driver but when they arrived, the suspect, Jeffrey Nelson, who was driving a gray Dodge Caravan, was no longer there.
According to officer Brett Schoffield, Bountiful City Police, a Centerville officer advised he had spotted the the vehicle headed back towards the residence. Scoffield then spotted Nelson and attempted to pull him over.
“At one time Nelson appeared as if he was going to stop the vehicle but then his vehicle’s reverse lights came on and Nelson accelerated backwards into my vehicle, striking my front bumper and push bar before taking off,” said Schoffield.
A chase ensued into a residential neighborhood with an elementary school in the area so officers attempted to disable the vehicle fearing for the safety of other motorists and pedestrians but Nelson was able to pull away through a parking lot.
Another officer pulled in front of the suspect in an attempt to get him to stop but was hit by Nelson in the rear bumper of his vehicle. Upon coming to an intersection that was blocked by other motorists who were stopped at the light, Nelson drove over the sidewalk and through a parking lot allowing him to get around them. He then took officers onto the freeway.
According to a probable cause statement Nelson was driving over 90 mph and weaving in and out of traffic.
Officers attempted to spike Nelson’s vehicle but he stopped to avoid the spikes, turned around facing another officer. Officer Smith stated that Nelson then accelerated towards him and struck his vehicle in the front bumper, put his car in reverse and accelerated back rapidly and struck a civilian’s parked vehicle.
Nelson was able to get back onto Highway 89 where he was pursued by additional officers. He eventually exited onto South Weber Drive, entered a parking lot and went over the embankment narrowly missing two fishermen who were standing in front of their truck.
One officer, Officer Kael Jackson from Centerville, said he believed Nelson headed deliberately headed straight towards the fishermen so he struck Nelson’s vehicle in the side causing him to avoid striking the two men.
After being hit, Nelson continued back into the parking lot where he drove straight into a metal gate which then disabled his vehicle.
Nelson was then taken into custody without further incident.
Nelson is currently being held in the Davis County Jail on six felonies including charges of aggravated assault against a police officer, a second degree felony, aggravated assault, a third degree felony, and failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop as well as DUI, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving.
A breathalyzer revealed Nelson had a BAC of .248.
