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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who was sent to prison three years ago after leading police on a high-speed chase, which included driving on the wrong side of the road, has been arrested for doing the same thing, according to police.
On Friday, a Salt Lake City police officer attempted to stop Dustin Adam Gunther 25, who was spotted in a stolen car, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. The officer did not chase Gunther when he fled, the report states, but the Department of Public Safety's helicopter was called to the area to track Gunther.
Troopers in the helicopter watched Gunther drive "recklessly," noting that "at one point on the city streets, the suspect drove (the) wrong way into oncoming traffic. The motoring public had to make evasive actions to avoid the suspect," the jail report states.
Gunther fled into the Sandy area where he "ran over construction barrels and a sign," the report states. A Sandy police officer attempted to stop him but Gunther again fled, according to the report.
After getting back onto I-15, Gunther abandoned the car near 10100 South in the far right lane. He got out and ran off the freeway into some nearby trees, the report states. The police helicopter was still following Gunther and was eventually "able to flush the suspect out of the trees" and to a nearby road where a South Jordan officer took him into custody, according to the report.
Troopers recovered a backpack that Gunther was carrying that contained drugs and stolen bank and ID cards, the report states. He was booked into jail for investigation of 27 charges, including identity fraud, possessing a stolen financial card, drug possession, reckless driving and not stopping for police.
In 2015, Gunther was arrested in Emery County for a similar incident. In that case, he was stopped by police for driving the wrong way on I-70, then took off after an officer pulled him over, going in the correct direction. His speed reached 125 mph, according to police.
Troopers later spotted Gunther again on U.S. 6 where he weaved in and out of traffic while trying to avoid arrest. After crashing, Gunther got out of his car and ran, sparking a manhunt. He was eventually captured, convicted of attempted theft and fleeing from police, and sentenced to up to five years at the Utah State Prison.
