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Alex Cabrero reporting A man thought he was on a joy-ride. Police thought otherwise.
Not only was he running away from the law, he was running away from responsibility to his country. And, he wouldn't give up without a fight. Now, he's in plenty of trouble.
Maybe Ivan Penchev figured time served in a Beaver County jail cell is better than time served in Iraq. Turns out, the Army wanted him for going AWOL.
The chase began in Cedar City but ended here in Beaver County.
Utah Highway Patrol officers say Ivan Penchev, the driver of the car they're chasing, was first pulled over for speeding then took off.
Spike strips were used to slow him down, but he kept going.
"He just ran into a deputy."
A trooper car tried to block him in, but it didn't work. So, the trooper used pit maneuvers several times, but Penchev just laughed.
"This subject is smiling at me."
Finally, he was stopped. But a few seconds later, he took off again, and troopers had to hit him again. This time, officers had their guns ready.
"Get your hands up. Do it now!"
They didn't shoot, even though Penchev tried getting away again.
They got word Penchev may have been suicidal, maybe hoping he would be shot in what's become known as suicide by cop. Eventually he got out and ran, but officers got him down and arrested him.
"He's in custody. Got him."
Penchev is now in the Beaver County jail waiting to see if he's taken back to Nevada, where he's from, or California, where his Army unit is based.
