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KANAB — A man who police say was recorded traveling 130 mph — and later claimed to be going as fast as 170 mph as he tried to get away — was arrested after Utah Highway Patrol troopers were able to successfully spike his tires.
Jacob Zachary Reeves, 32, was charged Monday in 6th District Court with failing to stop at the command of police, a third-degree felony; exhibition driving, a class A misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia and reckless driving, class B misdemeanors; and driving on a suspended license, a class C misdemeanor.
A trooper was patrolling state Route 89 near the House Rock turnoff outside of Kanab on Thursday when a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta passed him going 95 mph in a 65-mph zone, according to a police booking affidavit. The trooper turned his patrol car around to pull the vehicle over and noted that the Jetta had now accelerated to 130 mph, the affidavit states.
A few miles ahead, another trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, but it "flew around him and continued at over 130 mph," according to the affidavit. Fifteen miles later, Reeves — still traveling at 130 mph — ignored another trooper's commands to stop.
About 15 miles after that, troopers were able to successfully spike Reeves' tires, bringing his vehicle to a stop.
When questioned, Reeves admitted he had been stopped in Arizona about two hours earlier for speeding, according to the affidavit.
"Reeves told me his end game was to drive fast enough to give him time to pull onto a side road and hide. Reeves told me he was traveling between 150-170 mph as he fled," the affidavit states.
Troopers say Reeves' North Carolina driver's license is suspended. They also learned he is "temporarily staying at a vacation rental in Blanding" for several weeks and does not have ties to Utah.
