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John Hollenhorst ReportingThere was a kidnapping and a wild police chase in Eastern Utah last night. It ended happily with the kidnapped baby smiling and the kidnapper behind bars.
This was a very wild chase. Forty-six miles from Vernal right through an intersection in Roosevelt. It ended seven miles north of there when officers forced the kidnapper off the highway, after some incredibly intense moments for the frantic mom following in another vehicle.
Amber Harrison drove her pickup truck on an errand to her father's apartment building. Her daughter Kimbrie was sleeping in a car seat, so Amber left the engine running. As she walked a few steps to her father's door, she saw a thief jump in the truck.
Amber Harrison, Mother: "As he was backing up, I actually touched the truck trying to get to it, screaming at him that my baby was there. I happened to have my cell phone in my pocket and I had 911 on the phone before he pulled out of the parking lot."
Patrol cars pursued the stolen truck out of Vernal toward Roosevelt. Mrs. Harrison followed in another vehicle. Lawmen threw spike strips on the highway to shred the vehicles tires, but the suspect kept on driving up to 100 miles an hour.
He went 26 miles on one tire, grinding three other wheels down to the hubs. After the chase roared through Roosevelt, officers decided to force the truck off the road, believing the child was relatively secure in her car seat.
Lt. Robert Roth, Uintah County Sheriff's Office: "We felt confident in our decision to continue to pursue that the child would be safe. The danger that he was putting, not only to the child but also the general public, in the speed that he was going, we had to end this thing."
Kimbrie came out of the car smiling, officers say, and probably didn't know the danger she was in. After all she is a 17-month old.
27-year old Terrell Ziegler was arrested on numerous charges, including aggravated kidnapping and driving under the influence of drugs.
And the stolen truck? The Harrison's are getting it back, a little worse for wear. There's only one wheel left that's salvageable, but they're not too concerned about that as long as they have their baby back.
