Former NASCAR racer Tyler Walker enters plea by mail, companion goes to trial

Utah Fifth District Courthouse, St. George, Utah, date and time unknown | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – The lawyer for former NASCAR racer Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker said his client will be entering a plea-by-mail in relation to a high speed chase that ended on the interstate near St. George in January this year. Meanwhile a one-day trial has been scheduled for Walker’s co-defendant, Raelle McDonald.

Booking photos courtesy of the Utah Highway Patrol
Booking photos courtesy of the Utah Highway Patrol

Walker, 34, and McDonald, 31, both of Hermosa Beach, Calif., were involved in a high-speed pursuit on Jan. 11 that crossed from Nevada through Arizona and into Utah. They were ultimately stopped by on Interstate 15 at mile post 6 by the Utah and Arizona highway patrols.

Walker and McDonald face a series of class-B and class C-misdemeanors related to drug possession and alcohol. They also face two drug-related third-degree felonies each. In addition to these charges, Walker also faces a class-B misdemeanor for driving under the influence, and a third-degree felony for fleeing from police.

Walker and McDonald both pleaded “not guilty” to the charges on July. 16.

Douglas Terry, the attorney for Walker and McDonald, told Judge Eric Ludlow that Walker would be entering a plea-by-mail. Ludlow scheduled a hearing for the plea on Jan. 7, 2014.

McDonald, however, was scheduled for a one-day jury trial set for Feb. 28, 2014.

Recap

Charges against Walker and McDonald stem from the Jan. 11, 2013, incident in which they are accused of fleeing from the police and drug possession.

The Nevada Highway Patrol was alerted to be on the lookout for a reckless driver on northbound I-15. Once located, a pursuit began. One Nevada trooper clocked the car, a BMW, traveling at 140 mph.

The NHP initiated pursuit of the BMW which passed into Arizona and then into Utah where the tires were spiked at Utah mile post 2 and all four tires blown. The car then pulled over at mile post 6. Once stopped, Walker attempted to flee on foot but was quickly subdued by an Arizona Highway Patrol trooper. McDonald was taken into custody without incident.

According to a UHP statement, a subsequent search of the BMW produced alleged methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and alcohol.

Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker

Walker is a professional race car driver, having previously raced stock cars and trucks in various NASCAR races. He was suspended from racing in 2007 for violating the association’s drug policy.

Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker, ex-NASCAR driver, arrested St. George Utah
Utah Highway Patrol arrest a vehicle and its occupants involved in a high speed chase originating in Nevada, crossing through the Arizona Strip and into Utah on Interstate 15 between 7:30 and 8 a.m., vehicle spiked at Utah milepost 2, and brought to a halt at milepost 6. St. George, Utah, Jan. 30, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

 

Utah Highway Patrol arrest a vehicle and its occupants involved in a high speed chase originating in Nevada, crossing through the Arizona Strip and into Utah on Interstate 15 between 7:30 and 8 a.m., vehicle spiked at Utah milepost 2, and brought to a halt at milepost 6. St. George, Utah, Jan. 30, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News
Utah Highway Patrol arrest a vehicle and its occupants involved in a high speed chase originating in Nevada, crossing through the Arizona Strip and into Utah on Interstate 15 between 7:30 and 8 a.m., vehicle spiked at Utah milepost 2, and brought to a halt at milepost 6. St. George, Utah, Jan. 30, 2013 | Photo by Chris Caldwell, St. George News

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Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.

Utah Fifth District Courthouse, St. George, Utah, date and time unknown | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Utah Fifth District Courthouse, St. George, Utah, date and time unknown | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

 

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4 Comments

  • ladybugavenger November 27, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    whatever, I don’t care about his EX Nascar status and his sense of entitlement. One word : GUILTY!!!

  • Joanna November 27, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    “I remember this guy, he was a great NASCAR driver!” said no one, ever. Hehe. This dude is such a knucklehead, I’m surprised he knew how to work a stamp and an envelope.

  • jason29h April 18, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    Funny how people who know nothing about someone will still leave a comment about them as if anyone cares what they have to say, kinda makes them the knucklehead. I on the other hand knew and raced against Tyler several years ago. We actually became pretty good friends for a few years. I always knew he had a side to him that he had to keep control of and it saddens me to see that it looks like he lost that control and things are spiraling quickly in the wrong direction. Tyler if somehow you see this, you know you got true friends out there that want to help you but you gotta want it to.

  • Larry Woodward May 28, 2014 at 6:00 pm

    To Tyler if he can get this: Warm ups are over..get your set up together and get back soon..alot of us miss you in the lineup

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