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RICHFIELD — Troopers arrested a Colorado man who they say tried to flee the Utah Highway Patrol near Richfield at speeds around 110 mph.
UHP trooper Tyrell Bagley expected another routine day on the job while driving a rural stretch of I-70 between Salina and Richfield.
"I was patrolling I-70 and I was passed by a vehicle going 90 in an 80 (mph) zone. I began to initiate a stop on the vehicle and the vehicle approached speeds of 110 to 112 (mph)," he said.
For the next 20 miles Trooper Bagley pursued the car. Two men and three women, all from the Denver area, were inside. "Every time they approached an exit they tried to swerve, I think, to lose me," he said.
As the car approached the Elsinore exit, a Sevier County deputy deployed road spikes on the off-ramp. The driver swerved to avoid the spikes, lost control and rolled the vehicle.
"There were just mainly minor injuries," Bagley said. "One female had a concussion but she is doing good now, and they are all being released from the hospital."
The 22-year-old man driving the car, whose name was not immediately released, tried to flee on foot but was quickly caught. He was checked out at a hospital then booked into the Sanpete County Jail for investigation of evading and speeding.
Bagley said the car had stolen license plates, but otherwise, investigators didn't find anything illegal in the vehicle.
Troopers said this is a reminder of the dangers of fleeing. Bagley said this easily could have been a fatal crash.
