Police: Man sought in Layton carjacking attempted to hit 4 officers with stolen vehicle


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WEST VALLEY CITY — A man being sought by Layton police for allegedly stealing a car Friday with two children inside tried to hit four police officers with another stolen vehicle during a high-speed chase Saturday night, according to authorities.

Saturday's chase ended after Tyler Allen Williams, 26, crashed into two other vehicles at the intersection of 5600 West and 6200 South, West Valley Police Lt. Robert Hamilton said. Those involved in the crash suffered "cuts and scrapes," he said.

Williams then tried to carjack a woman, Hamilton said, but she was able to escape unharmed with her car.

"Our officers continued chasing (on foot) and were able to take him into custody," the lieutenant said.

The search for Williams began Friday after a Layton police officer came in contact with him outside an apartment. The officer and Williams spoke for a few minutes, before Williams fled on foot and stole a car with two young children inside, Layton Police Lt. Travis Lyman said.

Williams left the children — an infant and a 3-year-old — at a nearby department store, officers said. They were physically unharmed. Police found the stolen car shortly afterward and began a pursuit, but called off the chase after speeds exceeded 100 mph.

On Saturday, Williams tried to sell another stolen vehicle to a West Valley woman for $200, Hamilton said. The woman called police and responding officers recognized Williams as the man being sought by Layton police.

When officers tried to stop Williams, he drove at a West Valley police officer who was outside his patrol vehicle, Hamilton said. During the ensuing chase, he also swerved at two other West Valley officers and a Unified police officer who were inside their vehicles shutting down intersections to protect other drivers, the lieutenant said.

"Four times he attempted to hit officers," Hamilton said, acknowledging that West Valley police are "very sensitive to that."

Tyler Williams (Photo: Davis County Jail)
Tyler Williams (Photo: Davis County Jail)

It's easy to understand that sensitivity. West Valley police officer Cody Brotherson was killed on Nov. 6 while deploying spike strips to stop a vehicle that had been reported stolen. Police and prosecutors say the teenage driver of that car intentionally swerved at Brotherson.

Prior to Saturday night's chase, the same thing has happened to several other West Valley officers since Brotherson's death, Hamilton said.

"And without fail our officers have been very professional and acted appropriately, including this (chase)," he said, adding that Tyler Williams' alleged behavior Friday and Saturday made it necessary for officers to continue chasing him.

"When you see somebody in a stolen vehicle who's swerving at officers, who's attempted carjacking or carjacking, it raises the level of seriousness for us and may warrant a prolonged pursuit at that point just to be able to get that guy off the road," Hamilton said.

West Valley police say they constantly review and re-evaluate the department's pursuit policy. During Saturday night's chase, Hamilton said officers were able to shut down most of the intersections ahead of the chase, but then speeds reached 90 mph.

"When they're driving that fast, it's hard to get ahead of them in order to lock something down," the lieutenant said.

Williams was taken to a hospital as a precaution and then booked into the Davis County Jail for investigation of 11 offenses, including unlawful detention, reckless endangerment, failure to stop at an officer's command and theft in connection with the Layton case, as wells as four outstanding warrants. Additional charges are expected to be screened in the West Valley case, Hamilton said.

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Geoff Liesik

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