WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, March 12, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — West Valley City police have made an arrest after a Monday hit-and-run incident involving several vehicles.
“The suspect in a string of hit and run accident from yesterday has been arrested. Oliver Byars (3/11/67) was booked for hit and run in an injury crash, open container, no insurance and expired drivers license.”
Initial charges, as listed on the Salt Lake County Jail website, were for:
- Accident involving property damages, duties of operator, a class A misdemeanor
- Driving on a suspended licence, a class C misdemeanor
- Operating a vehicle without insurance, a class C misdemeanor
- Open container-drinking alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor
A probable cause statement has not yet been entered into the Utah online court database. Byars turned 52 on Monday.
West Valley City police said Monday that they were searching for a suspect, now identified as Byars, who allegedly drove a motorhome the wrong way on 3500 South, hit four vehicles and a power pole, then abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
The motorhome was traveling eastbound on 3500 South when it crossed into the westbound lanes, traveling the wrong way, just after 3 p.m., the West Valley City Police Department tweeted.
The motorhome hit four vehicles and went up onto a sidewalk where it hit a power pole, the tweet said.
“The driver then returned to the eastbound lanes, stopped, abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot,” the tweet said. “Officers searched the area and were not able to locate the driver. Officers are in the process of impounding the vehicle and investigating who owns it as well as who was driving.”
Medical personnel examined one person, from one of the cars that was hit, who was complaining of leg pain, but that person was not transported.
