Car ends up in embankment after driving recklessly through Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY — A pursuit in Salt Lake County ended Tuesday afternoon after the driver struck another vehicle while trying to escape a traffic stop and slid down an embankment.

The incident began when an agent with the State Bureau of Investigation noticed a truck driving recklessly on Interstate 15.

“A lot of aggressive behaviors, really high speeds, almost 100 mph,” said Lt. Jalaine Hawkes with the Utah Highway Patrol. Hawkes told KSL that the agent tried to conduct a traffic stop while in an unmarked vehicle, but the driver didn’t yield and kept driving.

“For a while, it kind of seemed like maybe the driver just didn’t see the agent — it was an unmarked car, those kinds of things — however, at some point, it was pretty clear that he was not going to stop for the lights and the sirens,” Hawkes said.

Troopers then started to pursue the vehicle.

At the Redwood Road on-ramp from I-215 South, going westbound, the driver stopped, according to Hawkes, but then tried to maneuver his vehicle out of the area. During that time, the driver struck at least one unmarked Utah Highway Patrol vehicle, causing some front-end damage.

After the collision, the truck slid down an embankment and into a fence.

“Luckily today, all of my troopers are safe,” Hawkes said.

The driver was checked by medical personnel, but there were no known injures. Hawkes said the driver is a Utah County resident and was the only occupant in the vehicle.