Springville man facing attempted murder charge after ramming deputy’s patrol car with tree-trimming truck

Jesse Gardner Anderson, 37. Photo Courtesy: UCSO

SPRINGVILLE, Utah, Nov. 27, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A Springville man is facing an attempted murder charge after ramming a deputy’s patrol car with his tree-trimming truck.

The incident happened Sunday after the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on the man, according to a news release from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash.

The suspect has been identified as Jesse Gardner Anderson, 37.

The news release said the incident began a few minutes before 8:30 a.m., when a deputy with the UCSO saw the driver of a commercial tree-trimming truck run two stop signs in the area of 400 North and 400 East in Springville. The driver of the truck was also speeding, the news release said.

“As the deputy turned on his emergency lights, the driver of the truck refused to stop and accelerated away,” the news release said. “The deputy also turned on his siren, but the driver continued to flee. As the deputy pursued the truck he could see in the truck’s rearview mirror that the driver was looking at him.”

When the truck reached the area of 1050 E. Center St. in Springville, the driver stopped in the middle of the road.

“The driver of the truck backed his truck at high speed toward the deputy in his patrol car,” the news release said. “The deputy was unable to get out of the way and was hit by the truck, pushing his patrol car more than 60 feet. The deputy sustained minor injuries and was able to broadcast a description of the truck that hit him as well as a description of the driver.”

Nearby residents told the deputy who the truck’s driver was, and after checking the driver license for that person, the deputy confirmed that he was the person driving the truck.

Deputies searched the area with the assistance of the Utah Highway Patrol and one of its helicopters, Springville Police, and Mapleton Police. With information from nearby residents, they identified an apartment where they believed Anderson was hiding. A few minutes before 10:30 a.m., investigators found Anderson and took him into custody without further incident.

The UHP is conducting the crash investigation for this incident.

The news release said Anderson has a history of these kinds of interactions with law enforcement. His Utah criminal history includes two convictions for DUI, disorderly conduct, failing to stop at the command of police, intoxication, carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident, driving without insurance, driving with a revoked driver license and driving without an ignition interlock device.

Anderson is currently on felony probation with the Utah Department of Adult Probation and Parole.

Anderson was booked into the Utah County Jail on charges of first-degree felony attempted aggravated murder on a police officer, second-degree felony criminal mischief — recklessly causing damage, second-degree felony fail to respond to officer’s signal to stop — with injury, second-degree felony fail to stop or respond at command of police, third-degree felony DUI — two prior convictions within 10 years, class A misdemeanor failure to remain at the scene of an accident with injury, class B misdemeanor failure to install ignition interlock device, class B misdemeanor driving on revoked driver license — alcohol related, and class B misdemeanor reckless driving.

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