CEDAR CITY, Utah, March 17, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Highway Patrol troopers in southern Utah Tuesday found themselves chasing a motorist at speeds in excess of 100 mph. When troopers finally stopped the vehicle they discovered it was driven by a Dad with his 5-month-old daughter and wife aboard.
According to arrest documents, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper attempted to pull the driver over for a minor infraction on I-15, but he fled instead.
Troopers say the 21-year-old driver then left and re-entered the interstate during the chase, running a red light and endangering other drivers by following too closely, according to a probable cause statement filed in 5th District Court in Iron County.
Eventually officers were able to end the chase using tire spikes to disable the vehicle.
The suspect, identified by his Arizona driver license, waived his Miranda rights and admitted to also having fled from police earlier in the day, and additional times, too numerous to remember, according to the affidavit.
He also admitted that a baggie with marijuana residue found in the car was his, trooper’s said.
The father now faces felony counts of reckless driving, evading police and misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, drug and paraphernalia possession, and failure to register his vehicle.
The mother of the 5-month-old child, identified by her Utah driver license, faces lesser charges.
