Driver allegedly crashes into multiple parked vehicles, flees the scene

Stock image, Cedar City News
Paul Rolland Atikinson of Cedar City, Utah, booking photo posted June 21, 2016 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George/Cedar City News
Paul Rolland Atkinson of Cedar City, Utah, booking photo posted June 21, 2016 | Photo courtesy of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George/Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY – Police arrested a 35-year-old Cedar City man by gunpoint Tuesday night after responding to reports of a driver who allegedly crashed into several parked vehicles and then drove away.

Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies responded at around 5 p.m. to several 911 callers alleging a driver in the Walmart parking lot had crashed into one car and struck two more while backing up, said Cedar City Police Sgt. Jimmy Roden.

The driver, Paul Rolland Atkinson, reportedly fled the scene following the incidents.

Iron County Sheriff’s Deputy Kellen Hudson, who was responding to the call, saw Atikinson allegedly race his vehicle through the intersection of Royal Hunte Drive and Cross Hollows Road, located just east of the Walmart supercenter.

The deputy said he made a U-turn, turned on his lights and siren, and followed Atkinson for about a block before the driver stopped.

Hudson made a felony stop, drawing his gun and ordering Atkinson out of the vehicle.

“He blew through that intersection and failed to yield. He posed a danger to public safety,” Hudson said. “I flipped around and started following him and he still didn’t stop right away. I had my lights and sirens on the whole time, even when he passed me to blow through that intersection. So due to the circumstances I made a felony stop.”

Atkinson was taken into custody by Cedar City Police without incident, Roden said.

He faces charges for driving under the influence, a class B misdemeanor, and two counts of failure to remain at an accident, both class C misdemeanors.

Atkinson was released from the Iron County Correctional Facility Wednesday after he bailed out with a $2,420 bond.

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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Twitter: @tracie_sullivan

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

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