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GREEN RIVER, Emery County — Two men were arrested in southern Utah after allegedly carjacking a Corvette in Las Vegas and leading police on a high-speed chase.
The incident began Friday when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper spotted a Corvette going 106 mph on I-70 in Emery County.
"I then activated my lights in an attempt to make a traffic stop. The vehicle then fled and increased its speed to well above 130 mph," the trooper wrote in a police booking affidavit.
The Corvette weaved in and out of traffic while attempting to flee, then got off the freeway and took a frontage road toward Green River, the affidavit states. The Emery County Sheriff's Office assisted by setting up tire spikes.
The chase was terminated for safety reasons as the vehicle continued "through Green River at an extreme high rate of speed," according to the affidavit. But it was spotted again a short time later getting back onto I-70. The chase ended when one of the Corvette's tires blew out.
Investigators learned the vehicle was reported stolen out of Las Vegas. A gun allegedly used to carjack the Corvette was found in the vehicle, the affidavit says.
Lazarus Michael Martinez, 20, was booked into the Emery County Jail for investigation of being in possession of a stolen vehicle, failing to stop at the command of police, possession of a gun by a restricted person, reckless driving, drug possession, driving on a denied license, and being in possession of prohibited items in a jail. Police discovered 20 pills inside Martinez's wallet that he did not tell deputies about prior to being brought into the jail, the affidavit states.
Eric Arthur Barcelona, 21, was arrested for investigation of being a restricted person in possession of a dangerous weapon and being in a stolen vehicle.
