CEDAR CITY, Utah, Feb. 13, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A 42-year-old woman was booked into the Iron County jail Saturday after Cedar City police responded to a call of a woman driving backward on Interstate 15, and headed into oncoming traffic.
Suspect Melinda Barret Smith faces charges of:
- Failure to stop at command of law enforcement, a third-degree felony
- DUI of alcohol with BAC at or over 0.05, a class B misdemeanor
- Interference with arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Driving on suspended or revolved license, a class C misdemeanor
- Operating vehicle without insurance, a class C misdemeanor
The first call came in for the backward driving on I-15, says a statement filed by an officer of the Cedar City Police Department. A second caller reported an erratic driver at Canyon View Middle School.
“Officers located her at 1045 North near Coal Creek Road,” Smith’s probable cause statement says. “She then refused to stop, and led officers on a pursuit hit speeds of 80 mph on city streets. She continued on to I-15 where she continued to flee. She got up to speeds of over 100 mph almost knocking vehicles off the road.”
Officer’s spiked Smith’s vehicle twice, the statement says, and she stopped after she lost both front tires.
“As we conducted a felony stop, she jumped out and ran at us in the middle of I-15. She had to be taken to the ground and cuffed. One of the officers on scene is a DRE and believes she is under the influence of a controlled substance due to her erratic behavior.
“An empty bottle of mouth wash was also located near the drivers seat of her car. Melinda also had three state wide warrants, and has prior arrests for possession of controlled substance and DUI. She also had a suspended drivers license and no insurance on the vehicle.”
Smith was booked into jail, where she is being held without bail.
