SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah, March 10, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A 31-year-old man is being held on multiple felony charges after he allegedly rammed police vehicles as he attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle.
Nicholas David Sickler was arrested at 11:42 p.m. Friday for investigation of:
- Three counts of assault on peace officer with use of dangerous weapon, a second-degree felony
- Theft/receiving firearm or operable motor vehicle, a second-degree felony
- Failure to respond to officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
Sickler’s affidavit was filed by an officer of the West Valley City Police Department, who wrote that he was asked to help with an investigation “an officer-involved critical incident. Police Officers with the County Metro Gang Unit were attempting to stop Nicholas Sickler” at a South Salt Lake apartment complex.
“They attempted to box in Nicholas’s vehicle, which was listed as a stolen vehicle. Nicholas drove backward ramming two police vehicles, he then drove past another police officer. Nicholas drove a short distance and abandoned the vehicle. He was shortly afterward arrested in West Valley City.”
Sickle was taken to the West Valley City Public Safety Building, and waived his Miranda Rights, his affidavit says. He told police he had stolen the vehicle earlier that day after finding it “with the keys inside, the vehicle was on, keys in the ignition, and the car was unlocked. He stole it because he is homeless.”
The affidavit said Sickler had driven the vehicle and smoked meth that day, “but it did not affect his mental state. He went into the apartment complex in South Salt Lake, he stated unmarked vehicles had been following him, and he was scared they were out to kill him.
“He said a truck hit him, and he saw red and blue lights. He said he did not know they were cops. I asked what red and blue lights meant and he said to pull over because it is cops. He said he has been stopped once before by an unmarked car with U.S. Marshals inside. He said he drove backward and rammed two or three vehicles. He said his intention was to get away.”
Sickler said “he wanted to commit suicide by cop. He then drove and abandoned his vehicle. He then ran and ran and went to his mother’s house. He was arrested and wanted to commit suicide by cop again, but he could not do this at his mother’s house.”
Sickler was ordered held on $5,000 bail, and remained in the Salt Lake County jail system as of Sunday afternoon.
People who are having suicidal thoughts are urged to call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours and providing counseling in English and Spanish.
