AMERICAN FORK, Utah, Aug. 2, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A West Jordan suspect has been charged in the death of an 88-year-old man who was hit and killed during a police chase in American Fork in July 13th.
According to a probable cause statement, Trevor Shane Pitcher, 21, has been charged with second-degree felony failure to respond to an official’s signal to stop resulting in death. He is also charged with class A misdemeanor reckless endangerment, and class C misdemeanor having no insurance, driving with suspended registration and driving with an open container, and running a red light, an infraction.
The suspect, driving a white Chevy, was being pursued by a Utah County Sheriff’s Deputy after fleeing an attempted traffic stop July 13. He took the Lehi exit, on Main Street, at about 9:30 a.m.
The suspect then struck a white Toyota Camry being driven by an elderly woman, with the elderly man as a passenger. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Pitcher also was transported to the hospital, in good condition.
“During the pursuit, the defendant ran multiple red lights and reached speeds twice the speed limit,” the probable cause statement said. “He entered onto I-15 in American Fork and then exited the freeway in the Lehi area and almost collided with another motorist. At one point during the pursuit, the defendant called his father, at which point his father told him to pull over.”
After the collision, “the defendant was removed from the vehicle at gunpoint because he was noncompliant,” the PC statement said.
When he was interviewed by police, Pitcher claimed “he did not stop because he did not want his truck impounded.”
Pitcher’s next court hearing is scheduled for August 6.
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
