Suspected drug mule leads police on high-speed chase, crashes into tree

KANE COUNTY, Utah — A woman led Kane County Sheriffs’ officers on a high-speed chase reaching 120mph near Kanab neighborhoods before crashing Sunday morning.

At approximately 11:00 a.m, a Kane County officer tried to pull over a black Jeep on U.S. Highway 89 in Kane County, going 108 mph in a 65mph zone when a silver Chevy Camaro passed him, clocking in at 103mph, according to arrest documents.

Devnee Dawn Petefish, 42, of Idaho, was later identified as driving the silver Chevy Camaro as she accelerated to 120mph towards Kanab.

According to arrest documents, the officer noticed the Jeep and Camaro accelerating past each other, weaving in and out of traffic, passing in no-passing zones, and not using their signal lights.

The Kane County officer called for backup, and the responding officers were able to get the Jeep to pull over. However, the Camaro fled,  almost hitting a police cruiser.

Officers kept chasing the Camaro into Kanab as the car was reaching speeds of 121mph, according to arrest documents.

The chase went into nearby Kanab neighborhoods before reentering HWY 89, where Kane County officers attempted to spike the Camaro but were unsuccessful.

During the chase, the Camaro suddenly slammed its brakes to a complete stop causing one of the officers to turn into the opposite lane to avoid a collision.

According to arrest documents, the Camaro accelerated to speeds of 120mph and passed traffic in opposite lanes when it disappeared.

“(The officer) looked over to the right side of the highway, and could see that the Camaro was down off the road on the north side of the highway, and had crashed into a cedar tree,” reads arrest documents.

The Kane County officer noticed Petefish exiting the Camaro, and the officer drew his gun, ordering her to show her hands.

Petefish yelled an expletive at the officer and ran on foot into the wooded area, according to arrest documents. The officer followed her and found her hiding behind a cedar tree.

The officer commanded her to stop and get on the ground, but Petefish refused, and the officer threatened to use his Taser. Petefish told the officer to Tase her.

“(The officer) turned off the safety and pointed the Taser at her. [Petefish] laid down on the ground, and [the officer] did not have to deploy [their] Taser,” according to arrest documents.

The Kane County officer was able to arrest Petefish with the help of a bystander.

According to arresting documents, the officer smelled alcohol from Petefish’s breath and asked if she had been drinking. Petefish told the officer she opened an alcoholic drink during the chase.

When EMTs arrived and began to treat Petefish, the officer overheard her say she had recently used methamphetamine.

Kane County officers performed field sobriety tests on Petefish, and they concluded she was driving under the influence, according to arresting documents. Petefish agreed to a blood draw, and the samples were sent to a state lab.

“[Petefish’s] vehicle was searched, and there was a significant amount of drugs and paraphernalia found in the vehicle under the seat and in the trunk area,” arrest documents state. “As well as a loaded .357 revolver near the passenger seat. There was an open alcoholic beverage found in the center console of the Camaro.”

The Kane County Sherriff’s Office found 4.57 pounds of methamphetamine, about 923 suspected fentanyl pills, multiple syringes preloaded with heroin, multiple glass pipes and glass bongs, a scale with a “white residue,” $162 in cash, three cell phones, a pack of clear baggies, and a napkin with weights and amounts written on it.

The Sherriff’s Office found out that Petefish is a convicted felon with one warrant for her arrest in Arizona and two in Idaho, according to arrest documents. She told police she fled from them because of the warrants.

She also was convicted of 5 felony drug charges from 2018 to 2021.

Petefish admitted to the Kane County Sherriff’s Office that she transports large quantities of drugs from Arizona, Idaho, and Washington. She told police she was being paid anywhere from $3,000 to $7,000 for each shipment.

According to arrest documents, Petefish was booked into the Kane County Jail for:

• two felony charges of possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute,
• two felony charges of possessing a dangerous weapon by a restricted person,
• felony charge of possessing a controlled substance,
• felony charge of failing to respond to an officers’ signal to stop,
• misdemeanor charge of failing to stop at the command of police,
• misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment,
• misdemeanor charge of interfering with an arresting officer,
• misdemeanor charge of DUI,
• misdemeanor charge of open container or drinking alcohol in a vehicle,
• misdemeanor charge of reckless driving,
• misdemeanor charge of using or possessing drug paraphernalia,

Petefish was also cited for having an expired license and booked for her past warrants.

Kane County Sherriff’s Office did not release info about the black Jeep and its involvement in this chase.