SANTAQUIN, Utah, Sept. 14, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A Santaquin teen was jailed for investigation of multiple charges after police say he left a police officer pursuing at 121 mph in the dust, then slid down an embankment and attempted to escape on foot.
Jonathan Aragon Quinonez, 18, was arrested for investigation of:
- Failure to stop or respond at command of police, a third-degree felony
- Driving under the influence while younger than 21, with passengers younger than 18, a class A misdemeanor
- Three counts of reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Refusing a chemical test, a class B misdemeanor
- Interfering with a peace officer, a class B misdemeanor
- And infractions including violation of learner’s permit, failure to register or expired vehicle registration, failure to operate in a single lane, interfering with a peace officer, and failure to signal
As always, charges will be determined by the County Attorney’s Office.
The Santaquin Police officer first observed the gray, 2017 Dodge Charger, with no license plate, at a Maverik gas pump. The vehicle had been reported earlier as “burning out” and doing donuts earlier that night elsewhere in Santaquin.
The car, driven by Quinonez, pulled onto Main Street, and the officer activated overhead patrol rights, arrest documents say.
“The vehicle turned right to enter I-15 Northbound via the 244 on-ramp. I activated my patrol sirens, as the vehicle was speeding up rather than slowing down,” the affidavit says. “I continued accelerating until I had reached 121 miles per hour and observed the Charger was quickly pulling away from me at a high rate of speed.
“I observed the vehicle continue to weave in and out of traffic without properly signaling at a high rate of speed,”
Spanish Fork police reported seeing the northbound vehicle take the 1400 North Springville exit.
“The vehicle was seen exiting the roadway and sliding down a short embankment just south of the offramp. Officers immediately arrived after the vehicle exited the roadway and activated their overhead lights and gave verbal commands for the occupants to remain onscene.
“All four occupants exited the vehicle and attempted to flee the scene on foot.
The four were taken into custody. Post Miranda, Quinonez agreed to be interviewed.
“I immediately smelled the strong odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage coming from Jonathan’s person while speaking with him,” arrest documents say. “A passenger later told me they had seen Jonathan drinking ‘Arnold Palmer’ alcoholic beverages while driving.
“Jonathan said he had seen me activate my lights to pull him over in Santaquin, but he continued driving because he did not believe he had committed any crime. I asked Jonathan to submit to Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. Jonathan refused.”
Quinonez was later asked to submit to a blood draw, and declined. When served a search warrant for his blood, he again declined.
Quinonez was booked into the Utah County jail, and ordered held without bail.
