WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, May 3, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A 23-year-old man who police say fled a traffic stop in West Valley City, then lost control of his car and rolled it into a TRAX train, was booked into jail Saturday.
“Two of the three (TRAX) passengers sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals,” says a probable cause statement filed by an officer of the West Valley City Police Department.
Suspect Chase Easton Harris is facing charges of:
- Failure to stop at command of law enforcement officers, a third-degree felony
- Three counts of reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Using plates registered to another vehicle, a class C misdemeanor
- No valid license — never obtained license, a class C misdemeanor
A probable cause statement filed Saturday in the case says the WVCPD officer was attempting to stop Harris because the Nissan Versa Harris was driving had a license plate registered to an Infiniti.
“The vehicle initially yielded but fled as soon as I walked up to the vehicle,” the statement says.
“The vehicle fled onto Decker Lake Drive and the driver failed to negotiate a turn and rolled multiple times onto two TRAX lines,” injuring two passengers, the statement says.
“The AP was interviewed and post-Miranda he admitted to being the driver. He advised he hit another vehicle earlier today on the freeway and fled the scene of the accident somewhere in Orem. He advised he switched the license plate out because of the hit and run and accident. He said the reason he fled from me today was he was concerned about the earlier hit and run.
“As the three passengers were unwitting participants and were exposed to serious injury due to the AP’s decision to flee and drive recklessly. The AP doesn’t have a driver license and has never received one.”
Harris’ bail was set at $1,000. A records check shows he is no longer in the Salt Lake County Jail.
