DAVIS COUNTY, Utah, Aug. 23, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A 30-year-old was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly driving south in the northbound lane of Interstate 15 from Sunset until he was stopped in Centerville, the Utah Highway Patrol says.
When interviewed by troopers, the driver said “F***, that was fun,” according to charging documents for William Tyler Emerson.
The incident was reported at about 1:39 a.m., says the affidavit filed by a UHP trooper.
“I responded to a wrong-way driver call on northbound I-15 at the Weber County Line in Sunset. The call was of a vehicle traveling southbound in the northbound lanes. I was in Kaysville at the time and attempted a PIT maneuver on the car as he passed me traveling over 90 mph in the HOV lane the wrong way. The PIT was unsuccessful and the driver did not slow for the emergency lights at all.
“Local agencies responded and a Centerville Officer indicated they observed the speed of the vehicle at Park Lane at 102 mph. Other officers in the Centerville area were able to safely bring the vehicle to a stop after he had traveled the wrong way through a construction closure where workers were actively working.”
Emerson was transported to the Utah Highway Patrol Office for investigation.
“I spoke with Mr. Emerson and could immediately detect signs of impairment including short attention span, bloodshot eyes, and random outbursts of laughter,” the affidavit says. “Standard field sobriety tests were conducted at the office and multiple clues and indicators of impairment were observed. Mr. Emerson explained that he smoked marijuana before the incident and takes prescription medications.”
Emerson consented to a blood test, and blood-alcohol results are pending, the document says.
“Mr. Emerson was Mirandized, and interviewed where he answered that he intentionally drove (the) wrong way to go have intercourse with a friend.”
Emerson made the comment about the drive being fun, and said “he remembered governing out his vehicle at 120 mph when he entered the freeway in the Sunset area. During the entire encounter, Mr. Emerson showed no signs of regret and was arguably excited about the experience. Mr. Emerson has shown a disregard for the safety of others in one of the most blatant and dangerous ways I have ever seen.”
Emerson was booked for investigation of:
- Driving under the influence — wrong way, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Fail to observe barricade, light sign, cone or flagman, a class B misdemeanor
- Failure to yield/stop for approaching emergency vehicle, an infraction
Court documents say Emerson’s bail was set at $5,000.
