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SPRINGVILLE — A Springville man was arrested Thursday night after attempting to evade officers in a traffic stop for the the second time this month, police said.
A deputy attempted to stop Kevin Val Christensen, 53, shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday for driving with a driver's license suspended in a previous DUI incident, but Christensen drove off after becoming agitated with the officer, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.
Christensen reportedly left the scene, near Rodeo Drive and Eldorado Drive in Springville, reaching speeds estimated above 95 MPH as officers pursued him down U.S. 89, Cannon said.
The chase looped through Springville, Spanish Fork, Mapleton, and back into Springville. A spike strip laid by officers in Mapleton punctured the vehicle's front left tire, causing it to slowly deflate.
Christensen stopped at his home, not far from where the deputy had originally pulled him over, and refused to get out of the truck, Cannon said. He was "combative and strongly resisted" as officers arrested him, sustaining abrasions to his forehead.
He was treated at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center before being booked into Utah County Jail for investigation of driving under the influence, fleeing police, speeding, driving on a suspended license, possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest, numerous traffic violations and littering.
Previous incident
Christensen fled from Mapleton police during a traffic stop on Dec. 6, Cannon said. Officers were unable to detain him at the time.
A search of Utah state court records indicates Christensen was convicted of misdemeanor DUI charges in 1987 and 1999 and six misdemeanor charges in traffic court between 2001 and 2013.
