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SMITHFIELD, Cache County — A man accused of hitting four vehicles while fleeing from police on Christmas Eve in northern Utah, injuring eight people, was eventually taken into custody at gunpoint after a deputy used his patrol car to stop the fleeing vehicle by hitting it head-on.
Brandon Groesbeck, 23, was arrested for investigation of failing to stop at the command of police, two counts of carrying a gun while under the influence, eight counts of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, reckless driving, DUI, two counts of having an open container of alcohol in the vehicle, and four counts of operating a vehicle incorrectly.
On Sunday, a Cache County sheriff's deputy spotted a pickup truck with no license plate that had allegedly fled from North Park police. The deputy attempted to pull the truck over, but "the vehicle accelerated and began driving more erratically. At one point the vehicle left the roadway and regained control, still attempting to evade me," according to a police booking affidavit.
The pickup truck continued onto Main Street in Smithfield where it approached several vehicles stopped at a red light.
"The vehicle attempted to travel between the two travel lanes, resulting in a collision involving the vehicles to either side, and one vehicle in front of these first two vehicles. (Groesbeck's) vehicle then went over the curb into a grassy area," the affidavit states. "The vehicle then reentered the roadway striking a fourth vehicle."
Because of the danger posed to the public, the pursuing deputy used his patrol vehicle to intentionally hit the pickup truck head-on.
"The driver was originally appearing to be noncompliant with my verbal commands to exit the vehicle. Ultimately, the driver exited the vehicle in accordance with my commands at gunpoint. He was then taken into custody without further incident," the deputy wrote in the affidavit. "In total four civilian vehicles were involved in this incident resulting in eight individuals with injuries."
"Multiple open containers" of alcohol were found in Groesbeck's pickup and two rifles, according to police, who also reported that his blood-alcohol level was measured at a 0.181%, or more than three times the legal limit.
None of the injuries to the eight people hit were reported to be serious.
