ST. GEORGE — A suspect is in jail following a high-speed chase that started in Iron County and ended when deep snow disabled the suspect’s vehicle that died in a field in Beaver nearly 50 miles away.
The pursuit, which involved multiple agencies on the ground and in the air, was set in motion shortly before 8:30 a m. Thursday when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper attempted a traffic stop on an Audi passenger car heading north on Interstate 15 near milepost 65 in Iron County.
UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden told St. George News that instead of pulling over, the suspect fled and continued north at a high rate of speed.
Officers further north were notified of the pursuit and deployed a set of spike strips to slow the suspect — efforts that were unsuccessful when the suspect avoided the strips and continued north at more than 100 mph. The chase was terminated when the troopers lost sight of the suspect.
Roden said they then requested air support from the Utah DPS Aero Bureau, and a helicopter was launched.
The Audi was spotted by the flight crew as the suspect continued north into Beaver County, and after avoiding several more sets of spike strips that were deployed by ground units along the way, the suspect exited the interstate into Beaver City. The chase continued north along Main Street with the helicopter overhead.
The activity was not lost on McCade Holyoak, general manager of Tinks Superior Auto Parts on Main Street, who said he looked up just as multiple police units passed by the store with their emergency lights activated, and within minutes, he said he heard what sounded like an approaching helicopter.
The pursuit continued for nearly 30 minutes along I-15 as the suspect switched directions and then exited at mile marker 112 and drove past the Pilot Flying J fuel station, where the Audi became disabled as the suspect attempted to drive through the deep snow covering a nearby field. The driver was taken into custody by police without incident.
Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter told St. George News that the suspect was transported to the Iron County Jail where he is still being processed. No further details on the suspect were available at the time of this report.
The incident is under investigation by the Utah Highway Patrol, while the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office and the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Aero Bureau responded to assist.
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