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SANDY — Utah Highway Patrol troopers stopped a reckless driver on I-15 Thursday night by using tire spikes and a maneuver that forced the driver to lose control and stop the vehicle.
But after the vehicle was stopped, troopers — to their surprise — found out that they had been pursuing a 12-year-old girl.
The incident started about 11:35 p.m. when troopers were alerted to a possible reckless driver on I-15 near 2300 North.
A trooper spotted a Honda Civic near 3300 South and "observed the vehicle continuing to drift in and out of the HOV lane. The suspect vehicle was also driving with no lights on," according to a statement from the Utah Highway Patrol.
The trooper attempted to pull the car over near 3500 South as it was traveling 54 mph, but the driver did not stop. At 4500 South, the trooper initiated a pursuit. The ensuing chase varied in speed from 40 mph to 70 mph.
At that time, UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden says troopers had no idea the driver was a young girl.
As the vehicle passed 9400 South, tire spikes were deployed.
"The vehicle continued southbound and it was unclear if the spike attempt was successful in deflating the tires. With traffic slowed behind the pursuit, and the suspect vehicle's speeds reduced to approximately 40 mph, troopers performed a successful Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver and brought the vehicle to a stop at 10400 South," according to UHP.
That's when they discovered the driver was a 12-year-old girl. Troopers say the girl had taken her mother's car in Davis County without her knowledge and was driving to her cousin's home but got lost.
She was returned to her parents. Potential charges will be screened through the juvenile court system, according to the UHP.
