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HERRIMAN — A pair of high-speed chases kept law enforcers from several agencies busy over the weekend.
In Utah County, Adam Charles Cowgill, 33, was arrested about 8:30 a.m. Sunday for investigation of failing to stop for police and several counts of assault on a police officer after officers say he attempted to run several of them off the road.
Cowgill, driving a Dodge Neon with a handicap plate, was leading a Utah Highway Patrol trooper on a chase on I-15 near Benjamin, according to a Utah County Jail booking report. The trooper lost sight of the fleeing vehicle, but another trooper later spotted it parked on the shoulder, the report states.
"I pulled to the shoulder of the road approximately 200 yards ahead of him. The vehicle began to drive directly toward my vehicle, accelerating quickly in an aggressive matter. Fearing that he would hit me, I drove off the freeway into the weeds," the trooper wrote in his report.
UHP troopers and deputies from the Utah County Sheriff's Office resumed chasing Cowgill, who continued swerving across all lanes of I-15 heading north, according to the report. Several times he slammed on his brakes "to try and cause deputies to collide," the report states.
"Several deputies pursued the vehicle exceeding speeds over 110 miles an hour. The suspect continued driving in a reckless manner weaving, in and out of traffic, slowing down, speeding up, and jumping back and forth between all lanes of travel," according to the report.
As the chase continued into American Fork and Lehi, Cowgill allegedly swerved at two more deputies, forcing them "to take evasive action to avoid collision," the report states.
"One of the deputies observed the male suspect holding a knife to his own throat. It was later learned he has history of mental illness and suicidal ideations," the report continued.
For safety, troopers backed off their pursuit and let the Department of Public Safety helicopter follow Cowgill. He got off the freeway at 12300 South and pulled into a parking lot, got out of his car and ran, the report states.
Deputies and troopers chased after Cowgill and had to use a Taser to arrest him, according to the report.
In another incident Saturday night, a man was spotted driving nearly 100 mph and also fled from police before being arrested.
Herriman police say an officer was doing speed enforcement on the Mountain View Corridor near 11800 South about 10:15 p.m. when Nickolas Ray Kontgis, 35, allegedly drove by going 95 mph, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. The officer attempted to make a stop at 12600 South.
"The truck came to a stop in the travel lane at the red light then several seconds later blew the red and accelerated away at a high rate of speed," according to the report.
The officer did not chase the vehicle, but noticed it turned onto 13400 South and was no longer speeding. The officer followed the car from a distance and called for backup, the report states.
"At Fort Herriman Parkway I again initiated my emergency lights and siren to signal the driver to pull over however he again accelerated southbound on Monarch Meadows Parkway at a high rate of speed," the officer wrote.
The vehicle later pulled into a parking lot at 13500 S. Monarch Meadows Parkway where Kontigs was arrested for investigation of failing to stop at the command of police, DUI, spending, driving on a suspended license and other traffic violations.
According to the report, Kontigs is currently on probation for a previous offense of fleeing from police and "has an extensive history of drug abuse and this current incident is the second time he has fled from officers in 2018."
