SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah, June 24, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — One motorcyclist has been arrested and police are searching for six others, after they allegedly led Utah Highway Patrol officers on a series of chases in Summit County Monday night, reached speeds of 150 mph.
A probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Silver Summit said Jhon B. Sorto-Orellana, 30, is facing charges of:
- Fail to stop or respond at the command of police, a third-degree felony
- Reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Speed contest or exhibition on highway, a class B misdemeanor
The probable cause statement said that Wednesday just after 8:20 p.m., Utah Highway Patrol dispatch aired an attempt to locate on seven bullet bikers reportedly traveling at speeds in excess of 150 mph, weaving in and out of traffic traveling into Summit County from Salt Lake County.
The arresting trooper located the bikers traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 near milepost 143, spread across all three lanes of travel. The bikes were traveling at approximately 82 mph in a 65 mph zone. Two of the bikes had back passengers.
The trooper exited the median to attempt to identify the plate on the bikes and to try and stop them.
“As soon as I exited the median, I heard and saw four of the seven bikes accelerate very quickly and take off immediately at speeds greater than 100 mph,” the arresting officer wrote. “I activated my lights and sirens and began to pursue the four bikes. My visual estimation on the bikes were in excess of 150 mph due to the distance that they were gaining on me and my top speeds of 130 mph.”
The trooper lost sight of the bikes entering Tollgate Canyon and terminated his pursuit; a Sergeant from the Summit County Sheriff’s Officer located the four bikes traveling eastbound on I-80 near Wanship. The Sergeant also initiated a pursuit on the bikes where speeds reportedly reached in excess of 130 mph; he ended his pursuit near Coalville because he lost sight of the bikes.
A second UHP trooper then located the bikes near Coalville continuing eastbound and pursued them to Interstate 84 westbound and made the decision to terminate the pursuit due to construction and “the reckless driving of the bikes passing other motorists on the shoulders at very high speeds,” the statement said. The trooper received information that the bikes had exited at Henefer and began traveling on SR-65 toward East Canyon.
The second trooper was able to catch up to the bikes, that were traveling near the posted speed limit on SR-65 passing East Canyon Resort. As he neared the bikes, they would speed up again. Another trooper was able to successfully stop one of the bikes, that had a female back passenger, at the county lines. The other three bikes again fled.
The driver of the stopped bike was identified as Sorto-Orellana, the statement said. The woman passenger said “she knew that law enforcement had tried to stop them. She explained that she was trying to get Sorto-Orellana to stop but he wouldn’t. She stated she tried hitting him and screaming at him to stop but he wouldn’t.
“She feared for her life due to the reckless driving and speed of Sorto-Orellana. She stated that she felt like she was going to fly off the bike because of how fast they were going.”
Sorto-Orellana was transported to Summit County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
