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OGDEN — An Ogden man who allegedly kidnapped a woman, led an officer on a chase and crashed into a police vehicle is now facing charges.
In addition to allegations connected to the chase, police say he also had a bag of crystal meth in his underwear.
Kenley Jonathan C. Lemaster, 29, was charged Monday in 2nd District Court with kidnapping, a second-degree felony; failure to stop or respond at the command of police, a third-degree felony; and possession or use of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor.
Early Friday morning, according to the charges, an officer responded to the report of a kidnapping in Ogden Canyon but had no vehicle or suspect description. However, the only car on the road in the area passed the officer and the driver did not dim its headlights, charges state.
The officer stopped to turn around and follow the car, watching it drive "at a high rate of speed." When the officer tried to stop the car, the driver "refused to stop," charges state.
While the officer pursued the car, it "swerved all over the road" and "continued to drive erratic by swerving, rapid braking and almost running off the roadway," according to the charges.
"The passenger door opened again and the vehicle swerved in an attempt to prevent the passenger from jumping out," police said.
The officer stopped pursuing the car out of concern for the passenger's safety, according to the charges, and the safety of those in another vehicle on the road.
The car eventually hit a North Ogden police vehicle, charges state. There, Lemaster "appeared to be under the influence of something due to his erratic behavior," police said.
Inside the car Lemaster was driving, police found loaded syringe needles "all over the interior," charges state.
The woman was uninjured in the crash, police said. Lemaster told police the woman had yelled at him to let her out of the vehicle but that he had ignored her request, charges state.
Lemaster was taken to a hospital where a nurse found the bag of crystal meth, according to the charges. After he was released from the hospital he was taken to Weber County Jail.
