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CEDAR CITY — A Chicago man accused of leading police in southern Utah on an extensive chase has been bound over to stand trial.
Stewart Hinton is charged in 5th District Court with failing to stop at the command of police, a third-degree felony; reckless driving and drug possession, class B misdemeanors; driving on a suspended license, a class C misdemeanor; and not having proof of insurance, an infraction.
On Tuesday, he waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to court records. Hinton is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 21.
On Jan. 19, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper attempted to pull Hinton over on I-15 near Cedar City for a minor traffic violation, according to a police booking affidavit. But as the trooper tried to catch up to the car, Hinton sped up and used the right shoulder to pass traffic, the affidavit states.
"I informed Cedar dispatch that I was in pursuit of the vehicle northbound and estimated its speeds at close to 140 or 150 mph," the trooper wrote in the affidavit. "As we continued northbound, the subject led officers on a multiple county pursuit with multiple terminations and restarts of the chase."
Near Beaver, Hinton turned his car around and began heading south on I-15.
"Eventually through the use of the DPS helicopter and local agencies, the subject vehicle became stuck in the snow in Beaver behind the Flying J gas station," the affidavit states.
Hinton was arrested and marijuana was found in his vehicle, in addition to two boxes, according to the affidavit.
"In the two boxes we located a total of 14 catalytic converters wrapped in towels or insulation. The parts were from different types of motor vehicles and appeared to have been poorly cut. Inside the car we also found a floor jack, impact drill and saw blades," the affidavit states.
Troopers also noted that Hinton was on probation out of Chicago at the time of his arrest and "has an extensive criminal history."
