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ST. GEORGE — A southern Utah man was charged Monday with intentionally crashing into the back of another car, then flooding his jail cell and assaulting a deputy after he was arrested.
Jordan Rockhill Beck, 29, of Ivins, is charged in 5th District Court in one case with aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, a class A misdemeanor; reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor; and not having insurance, an infraction. He is charged in a second case with assault by a prisoner and damaging a jail, third-degree felonies.
About 7:30 a.m. Saturday, St. George police responded to a crash at the intersection of Brigham Road and River Road. Witnesses told officers that a Nissan was driving between 70 mph and 100 mph in the center lane while passing and cutting off other vehicles. The Nissan then collided with the rear of a Tesla that was slowing for a red light, according to a police booking affidavit. The driver of the vehicle that was hit went to a local hospital to be checked out for neck pain.
The driver of the Nissan, Beck, was also treated at a local hospital. When questioned by police, "Jordan stated he was driving fast to let out some steam, and when he noticed the Tesla he wanted to hit it and stop bad guys," the affidavit states.
Beck also claimed he had taken prescription medication that police say "can cause sleepiness to the point of impairment while driving."
After being treated at a hospital, Beck was taken to the Purgatory Correctional Facility.
Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, Washington County sheriff's deputies responded to Beck's cell where he "was actively flooding his cell with water from his toilet," according to another police booking affidavit.
When two deputies went into his cell, Beck went toward one of them "in an aggressive manner," the affidavit alleges. The deputy pushed Beck into his cell and the two deputies attempted to leave. As they were doing so, Beck is accused of hitting one of the deputies in the chest.
As the deputies attempted to close his cell door, "Beck began pushing the door to prevent us from closing it" and then punched one of the deputies twice in the face before running out of his cell, the affidavit states. The second deputy grabbed Beck and began "bear hugging" him as he was tackled to the ground and restrained.
