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OREM — A man recently released from prison who claimed he would rather have a "shootout" with police than return was arrested Wednesday after allegedly carjacking a vehicle and leading officers on a chase.
Tyson Blaine Gurr, 35, of Springville, was booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of failing to stop at the command of police, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, being in a stolen vehicle and reckless driving.
The incident began Tuesday when Gurr, who was wanted for investigation for his involvement in a domestic violence-related incident, ran from Provo police, according to a booking affidavit. He then "attempted to steal a vehicle from a male by punching him; however, he was unsuccessful. He then successfully stole an occupied vehicle by entering the back seat and telling the occupants to give him the car and that he 'didn't want to hurt them,'" the affidavit states.
Police also received information that Gurr "had recently been released from prison and had made statements that he refused to go back," and claimed he would have a "shootout" with officers, according to the affidavit.
An Orem police officer parked his vehicle at 1560 East 800 North near Provo Canyon to see if the carjacked vehicle would head in his direction, which it did.
"Once I confirmed this was the stolen vehicle I initiated my overhead lights and sirens," the affidavit states.
The fleeing vehicle continued to drive away from the officer, refusing to pull over.
"While on 800 East, I reached speeds of 100 mph and the suspect vehicle was still creating distance from my vehicle," the pursuing officer wrote in the affidavit.
Near 1600 North and 700 East, Gurr crashed his vehicle into a large bush, got out and ran down an "extremely steep hill" on Bowl Drive, the affidavit states.
"The hill was very wet and muddy due to the rain earlier in the day causing myself and another officer to slip while going down the hill," according to the affidavit.
Gurr fell into a thick grove of shrubs and trees and could not be located by pursuing officers after that. Police found him early Wednesday in Provo, the affidavit states, and arrested him.
Police have requested Gurr be held in the Utah County Jail without bail, noting that he "is currently on parole and has proven to be a great danger to the public. The night of my encounter with him, he behaved with total disregard for the safety of those around him and drove with reckless abandon, causing an extreme danger to the public," the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit.
