CACHE COUNTY, Utah, May 5, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A driver was taken into custody overnight by Utah Highway Patrol troopers after a multi-city and multi-county pursuit, which ended in a SWAT operation.
The 31-year-old man was first spotted at about 9:08 p.m., on US-89/91 near Wellsville, in a charcoal gray Mercedes van with Nevada plate. Callers reported the van was reported for “driving erratically and flashing its lights,” the UHP statement says.
Troopers located the vehicle on US-91 near Smithfield and attempted to stop it. The vehicle did not stop, and continued northbound.
“The trooper did not pursue, but did follow at a distance to keep eyes on. He noticed the vehicle make a U-turn at the south end of Richmond to come back southbound. He initiated a traffic stop, but the vehicle again fled southbound,” the statement says.
The vehicle then made another U-turn and continued this behavior for a bit at lower speeds. Once the vehicle reached Smithfield again, troopers terminated the pursuit.
“Troopers and some other local units kept eyes on the vehicle as it continued southbound into Logan. The vehicle ran every red light it came to,” the statement says.
Responding officers lost sight of the van, but a citizen motorist called in the vehicle driving recklessly northbound into Logan Canyon.
“Rich County deputies set up near the county line with spikes. Our trooper caught up to the vehicle near the UDOT sheds. The vehicle was successfully spiked, but continued to flee. The trooper made a successful pit near milepost 494 and stopped,” the UHP statement says.
“The vehicle was in a bad spot and driver would not comply with officers commands. Both directions of travel were closed to deal with the incident. SWAT responded to the scene and after a gas deployment the 31 year-old male driver was taken into custody at about 2:45 am.”
The man’s name has not yet been released.
