SALT LAKE CITY — A 24-year-old man was taken into custody after evading police in a stolen vehicle Monday morning. The man was identified as Clarence Ballow.

Salt Lake City Police began an investigation after 2 a.m. when officers found a vehicle traveling with no lights on in the area of 17000 South State Street.

When officers checked the registration status they learned the vehicle was reported as stolen.

According to police reports, officers made an attempt to stop the driver but he sped away in a “reckless manner.” Because of the unsafe nature of the driving, officers did not pursue the vehicle.

A little while later, police witnessed the vehicle crash into a tree at 1700 South and 200 East at which point the driver fled the scene.

After a brief foot chase, officers safely took Ballow into custody.

Ballow was booked into the Salt lake County Metro Jail on suspicion of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Failure to Respond to an Officer’s Signal to Stop, and Failure to Stop at the Command of a Police Officer.