CENTERFIELD, Utah, July 15, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A man has been arrested after an alleged pursuit, crash and carjacking beginning in Centerfield.
A probable cause statement from the 6th District Court of Manti said Parker Chase Avondet, 21, is facing charges of:
- Aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony
- Failure to remain at accident involving serious injury, a third-degree felony
- Failure to respond to officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of possession of a controlled substance, schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Using plates registered to another vehicle, a class C misdemeanor
- Speeding, an infraction
On Monday at approximately 10:55 p.m. the arresting officer was working patrol on Main Street in Centerfield, travelling northbound.
“I observed a red full-size pickup truck approaching me southbound on Main Street travelling at a high rate of speed,” the statement said. “My observation and radar measurement on the vehicle was 95 mph in a 45 mph zone. I turned around and attempted to catch up to the vehicle. The vehicle continued at the high rate of speed southbound on U.S. Highway 89.”
The officer activated his emergency lights and followed the vehicle, which turned from U.S. Highway 89 westbound onto Center Street in Axtell, the affidavit said. The vehicle slowed, then accelerated rapidly.
“The vehicle continued at high rates of speeds through Sanpete County into Sevier County,” the statement said. “I was unable to keep visual on the vehicle due to terrain and the vehicle’s high rate of speed. The pursuit was terminated in Redmond with the last known direction of vehicle travel north in Redmond.”
Shortly after, the arresting officer was was notified of an accident on U.S. Highway 89 at the SR-256 junction. One of the vehicles involved was the suspect vehicle and a female passenger was stuck inside that vehicle and seriously injured. The driver was not on scene. “It was later determined the driver flagged down a passing motorist citizen, assaulting her, causing serious bodily injury while she was attempting to assist with the accident, stole her vehicle and fled the accident scene in her vehicle,” the statement said.
Both methamphetamine and heroin were found in the suspect vehicle. The Colorado license plate attached to the vehicle did not match the vehicle VIN number. The VIN number for the vehicle matched a vehicle that was listed and confirmed to be stolen from Colorado, the statement said. The correct plate that was supposed to be on the vehicle was found inside the cab. The suspect was subsequently identified as Avondet.
The suspect is on parole in Colorado and did not have authorization to leave that state. On July 13, the vehicle Avondet stole from the accident scene was recovered and further information obtained indicated he was still in the Sanpete County area, attempting to flee back to Colorado. The suspect was taken into custody later in the evening concealed in the trunk of a family member’s vehicle.
Avondet was transported to Sanpete County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
