WOODS CROSS, Utah, Nov. 1, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — An alleged drunken driver who led officers on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle with a 4-year-old inside crashed head-on into a police car before being arrested, court documents state.
Police say Michael Lee Freeman, 49, kidnapped and physically abused the child during the 16-minute, nine-mile pursuit Saturday night that began in Woods Cross and ended at Salt Lake City International Airport.
Officers estimated Freeman’s speed to be “well above” 100 mph as he fled from Woods Cross onto westbound Interstate 80 in his brother’s 2015 Chevy Silverado.
Freeman also attempted to ram police vehicles in Woods Cross and North Salt Lake before crashing head-on into another police vehicle near the airport’s air cargo terminal, disabling the Silverado, according to probable cause statements from Woods Cross police.
No injuries to the 4-year-old or police officers involved in the chase or crash were reported, but the girl told officers Freeman “punched her in the chest for crying,” the affidavit states.
Officers responded about 9:20 p.m. to an apartment complex on the east side of Woods Cross where tenants were having a Halloween party, police said.
Freeman’s brother told officers the man had “gotten drunk to the point his behavior was inappropriate; he began hitting on his own sister,” according to the police statement. The inappropriate behavior continued to the point the family “concluded it was necessary for Michael to leave.”
Police said Freeman’s brother agreed to drive the drunken man home, and he and his wife buckled their 4-year-old granddaughter into the car.
When the couple turned around to say goodbye to the other party guests, Freeman “climbed into the driver’s seat, asked if [his brother] still wanted to play around with him, and backed out of the driveway before accelerating away from the address,” court documents state.
Police initially reported the 4-year-old was the couple’s daughter, not their granddaughter.
About 10 minutes after fleeing in the stolen vehicle, Freeman was spotted on Redwood Road near 1500 South by a Woods Cross police officer, who attempted to make a traffic stop, according to a probable cause statement filed in Farmington’s 2nd District Court.
Freeman refused to pull over and moments later swerved at a second, oncoming Woods Cross police vehicle, the statement continues.
Freeman later pulled into a Maverik gas station at 24 N. Redwood Road in North Salt Lake and began following and attempting to hit another police vehicle in the parking lot, court documents state.
“[Freeman] then began following [the officer] out of the parking lot and was attempting to hit his patrol vehicle,” the police statement continues.
Police deployed spike strips near Center Street and Redwood Road, which hit the left rear tire of the Silverado. Despite the damaged tire, Freeman continued to flee “at a high speed,” heading south on Redwood Road toward Salt Lake City, police said.
“During the pursuit, [Freeman’s] vehicle drove through several red traffic signals and around other motorists on the roadway, demonstrating disregard for the safety of other persons and property,” the police statement continues.
The pursuit came to an end when Freeman made a U-turn at the airport and crashed head-on into an occupied police vehicle, court documents state.
Freeman initially ignored officers’ orders to exit the vehicle but “eventually did exit the vehicle and was taken into custody,” police said.
“[Freeman] smelled heavily of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech” at the time of his arrest, the police statement continues.
Police say Freeman in on parole in California, which is where the man was believed to be headed. He had been staying with family members in Utah for approximately two weeks, police said.
Freeman was arrested for investigation of several crimes, including:
- Aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony
- Assault on a peace officer with use of a dangerous weapon, a second-degree felony
- Two counts of assault on a peace officer producing injury, a second-degree felony
- Theft of an operable vehicle, a second-degree felony
- Failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony
- Intentional child abuse with injury, a class A misdemeanor
- Driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Interference with an arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Disorderly conduct after request to stop, a class C misdemeanor
- Driving on a suspended license, a class C misdemeanor
He is being held without bail in the Davis County Jail.
