KANAB, Utah, Oct. 24, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Police say a 42-year-old Idaho woman with drugs and a gun in her car led officers on a high-speed chase Sunday in Kane County before crashing into a tree.
Devnee Dawn Petefish was clocked at speeds of up to 121 mph in a silver Chevy Camaro on U.S. 89 near Kanab during the pursuit, according to a probable cause statement from the arresting Kane County sheriff‘s deputy.
The police pursuit began about 11 a.m. when a sheriff’s deputy spotted a black Jeep that appeared to be speeding on westbound U.S. 89 about 20 miles east of Kanab, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputy’s radar captured the Jeep traveling 108 mph in the posted 65 mph zone, the report states. As the deputy activated their emergency lights to pursue the Jeep, a Camaro was spotted speeding in the same direction, the affidavit states.
The Camaro was traveling 103 mph, according to the deputy’s radar, and the two vehicles were “weaving in and out of traffic, both driving aggressively, passing in no-passing zones, and not using signals when changing lanes,” the statement continues.
With assistance from a second Kane County sheriff’s deputy and a Kanab police officer, the Jeep was pulled over about four miles east of Kanab, according to the probable cause statement.
Petefish, however, kept driving and forced a sheriff’s deputy to “move out of the lane of travel to avoid being struck by the Camaro,” the statement continues.
The Camaro accelerated to 121 mph as it approached Kanab, the deputy stated. Once in town, it turned down several residential streets before getting back onto U.S. 89 and began traveling north.
The sheriff’s office attempted to deploy spike strips in Kanab to disable the vehicle, but it was unsuccessful, the arresting deputy stated.
The Camaro was again clocked at 121 mph about 10 miles north of Kanab and was traveling “in the oncoming lane passing cars” when it went over a hill, the statement continues.
“When I came over the hill, the Camaro disappeared from the roadway,” the arresting deputy stated. “I looked over to the right side of the highway, and could see that the Camaro was down off the road on the north side of the highway, and had crashed into a cedar tree.”
The deputy spotted Petefish “exiting the driver door of the Camaro. I drew my service weapon pointed it at the female, and told the female to stop and show me her hands.”
The deputy said Petefish replied, “F— you,” and then ran away “headed north through the trees,” according to the probable cause statement.
The deputy later found the woman behind a tree and threatened to use a Taser on her, the statement continues. Petefish surrendered to the arresting deputy without use of a Taser.
Petefish’s breath smelled of alcohol and she admitted to drinking an alcoholic beverage during the pursuit, the deputy stated.
She was transported by ambulance to an area hospital to be treated for injuries related to the crash, the statement continues.
Sheriff’s deputies found “a significant amount of drugs and paraphernalia” under seats and in the trunk of the Camaro, as well as “a loaded .357 revolver near the passenger seat,” the deputy stated.
Law enforcement officials found 4.57 pounds of methamphetamine, 923 suspected fentanyl pills and multiple syringes preloaded with heroin, according to the sheriff’s office.
While being interviewed in jail, Petefish told detectives “she was being paid to transport the drugs,” the arresting deputy stated. The woman said she fled from police because she had active warrants in Idaho, which the sheriff’s office confirmed, according to the statement.
An open alcoholic beverage also was found in the center console of the Camaro, according to the sheriff’s office.
After being released from the hospital, Petefish was booked into the Kane County Jail for investigation of:
- Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, a second-degree felony
- Two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, one second-degree felony and one third-degree felony
- Possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of failure to stop or respond at command of a police officer, one third-degree felony and one class A misdemeanor
- Reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Single counts of interference with an arresting officer, DUI, reckless driving and possession of drug paraphernalia, all class B misdemeanors
- Open container/drinking alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor
She is being held without bail.
The driver of the Jeep was not involved with Petefish, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Just wrong time, wrong place and perhaps was caught up in a high-speed game of tag with the Camaro,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
The driver of the Jeep was cited with traffic violations related to the chase, the release states.
