IRON COUNTY, UTAH – September 23, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – The dash cam video of a dangerous high speed chase in Iron County that reached speeds of 129 mph Wednesday morning has been released.
According to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Royce, around 8:45 a.m., a trooper on southbound I-15 near the Cedar City exit, attempted to stop a driver in an orange Toyota Scion who was traveling 115 mph but the driver would not pull over. “A pursuit was initiated and continued along I-15 southbound when the driver got off the freeway at exit 42, turned sharply around and got back on the freeway headed northbound,” said Royce. “Washington County Sheriff’s deputies had already been called in to assist because the driver appeared to be headed into their jurisdiction before turned around.
Royce said the driver was clocked at speeds as high as 129 mph during the chase and passed a semi truck using the emergency lanes. “At that point the trooper was being assisted by additional UHP troopers and Iron County Sheriff’s deputies had already set up spikes near milemarker 54. “The suspect hit the spikes, deflating his front tire,” said Royce. “He then continued along I-15 for a couple miles before he went off the side of the freeway and into some fencing.”
The driver, identified as Austin Michael Shaffer, 33, of Colorado, was apprehended after his car was boxed in by both UHP troopers and Sheriff’s deputies. “Our troopers were forced to draw their weapons on the suspect as he exited the vehicle because of the severity of the chase,” said Royce. “Our troopers found personal use drugs and paraphernalia in the car and he later told our troopers that he also suffers from a mental illness.”
Shaffer was booked into the Iron County Jail and is currently being held without bail on four third degree felonies including assault on a police officer, evading, and two counts of possession or use of controlled substance as well as three misdemeanors charges of DUI, reckless driving and possession or use of controlled substance.
