CEDAR CITY — A Logan man fled police with a young child in the back seat and was arrested in Cedar City on numerous charges after authorities finally ended the chase using a precision immobilization technique — or PIT maneuver.
Sunday afternoon, the Cedar Communications Center began receiving reports of a man driving recklessly on southbound Interstate 15 near Exit 75 in Parowan, Trooper Cameron Roden of the Utah Highway Patrol said.
Callers reported that the driver was passing other vehicles on the shoulder, swerving in and out of traffic and weaving, Roden said. Just before 3 p.m., an “attempt to locate” was issued to the authorities. Law enforcement quickly located the driver going 89 miles per hour near mile marker 65 and initiated a traffic stop.
At that point, the driver began to pull to the side of I-15 and appeared to be slowing to a stop, but instead he continued driving slowly in the shoulder, Roden said, acknowledging the Highway Patrol trooper as he continued down the Interstate with hand gestures that seemed to indicate he recognized he was being pursued. However, he didn’t pull over.
The man took Exit 59 in Cedar City, but before he was able to reach W. 200 North, the trooper immobilized the man’s vehicle by initiating a PIT maneuver at approximately 20 mph.
The PIT maneuver — or precision immobilization technique — is a technique used by law enforcement during pursuit to stop fleeing vehicles while minimizing the risk to the driver. The officer bumps the side of the rear bumper of the fleeing vehicle, causing it to abruptly turn sideways and causing the driver to lose control and stop.
After the man’s vehicle was disabled, officers approached the car and observed a 3-year-old child in the back seat and safely removed the toddler from the car. The child was later released to the custody of relatives unharmed.
The driver, Matthew T. Jackman, 30, of Logan, Utah, was subsequently arrested on numerous charges, including felony evading, driving under the influence with a minor in the vehicle, open container in vehicle and speeding.
Jackman was transported and booked into the Iron County Correctional Facility, Roden said, after receiving a medical clearance from the hospital.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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M Jackman aka mr jacka– did this to a 3 year old ?
Could I please have a 15 minute counseling session with him ,
I do need to pick up a large belt for the session tho . . .
Please ?
Knobe….you’ll have to get in line after me. He’s all yours after I get done “counseling” him.
LOL ! Keyboard tough guys