ST. GEORGE — After a black pickup truck was pulled over on a traffic stop by Utah Highway Patrol, northbound Interstate 15 near the Green Springs Exit Sunday, the truck’s passenger jumped out, and over a fence and into commercial areas in the Washington and St. George areas of Red Cliffs Drive. A multi-agency search ensued until the man was found and arrested a few hours later in an apartment complex on Buena Vista Drive in Washington.
After pulling over the truck at approximately 12:45 p.m. for having its brake lights out, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Jesse Williams, with assistance from another officer, approached the vehicle and smelled the odor of marijuana, Williams said. He then required the driver to get out of the truck.
While officers were speaking with the driver, the passenger of the truck jumped out and took off running. He jumped over the freeway’s border fence and ran towards Jimmy John’s Sandwich Shop at 2376 Red Cliff’s Drive near the Megaplex Pineview Stadium 10 movie theatres.
He ran through the parking lot, Williams said, and Washington City Police responded along with Washington County Sheriff’s Department to search for the man. Police officers found a bag of drugs in the Jimmy John’s parking lot, Williams said, which they are saying he dropped there.
According to radio broadcasts, while the search was ongoing, someone gave the man fleeing a ride to an apartment complex on Buena Vista Drive, Williams said. Law enforcement searched the Buena Vista area for a while until the man popped up and they arrested him, he said.
A Washington County Sheriff’s deputy made the arrest and the man was booked into Washington County’s Purgatory Correctional Facility. The man said that he ran because he had a warrant on him out of Nevada, Williams said.
The vehicle on the freeway was towed for safety, Williams said.
The driver of the truck was charged with marijuana possession and paraphernalia and booked into Purgatory as well.
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
Traffic stop on SB I-15 near mile post 10 gives rise to a manhunt after passenger flees, Washington-St. George area, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Traffic stop on SB I-15 near mile post 10 gives rise to a manhunt after passenger flees, Washington-St. George area, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Megaplex Pineview Stadium 10 parking lot where suspect fled and reportedly dropped a bag of drugs, subject to a manhunt in St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Apartment complex on Buena Vista where suspect subject to a manhunt was reportedly hiding in Washington, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Apartment complex on Buena Vista where suspect subject to a manhunt was reportedly hiding in Washington, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Apartment complex on Buena Vista where suspect subject to a manhunt was reportedly hiding in Washington, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Apartment complex on Buena Vista where suspect subject to a manhunt was reportedly hiding in Washington, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Apartment complex on Buena Vista where suspect subject to a manhunt was reportedly hiding in Washington, Utah, Feb. 2, 2014 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.
lots of pics = good reporting
The pictures would indicate that the traffic stop occurred on the n/s of I-15, not the s/b side as reported. Other than that, good story.
Thanks for the catch Bud. Directions were fixed.
Drew,
Reporter
Pics captions need changed if story is correct about the traffic stop being NB.
All the I-15 photos show the vehicles in the Northbound lane not southbound.
LOL, people stop complaining… no one cares