MIDVALE, Utah, Nov. 2, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A woman who failed to comply with an attempted traffic stop Thursday in Midvale had her SUV’s tires spiked by police, and was taken into custody.
Lt. Bryan Lohrke, Unified Police Department, told Gephardt Daily that the woman appeared to be driving under the influence, and that was why the traffic stop was initiated.
The woman, in a silver Ford Edge, was driving with her three children, an 8-year-old daughter and sons ages 10 and 12. Police tried to stop her near 7500 S. State.
“She failed to yield to the traffic stop,” Lohrke said. “They did not pursue, but we had detectives in the area who were able to lay out spikes. They stopped her at about 400 West and Center Street.”
Lohrke said the woman had been driving around the area of Midvale Elementary.
The suspect, whom Lohrke estimated as being in her 30s, was driving ” … consistent with DUI driving,” he said. That endangered others on the road as well as her own passengers.
“A risk to the children for sure,” he said.
The children became distraught after the tire spiking.
One of the driver’s young sons bolted from police and had to be chased down.
After several minutes the children’s grandmother arrived on scene and police allowed her to take custody of the children.
A number of officers were visibly shaken by the children’s emotional reaction.
Lt. Lorhke told Gephardt Daily he was unclear where the children ended up or the exact charges their mother would be facing.
