Illinois man arrested for suspicion of drug trafficking after leading Utah officers on pursuit

THOMPSON SPRINGS, Grand County — A man from Illinois was arrested on Tuesday after leading Grand County sheriff’s deputies on a lengthy pursuit that ended at a freeway exit near Thompson Springs.

Patrick Brown, 27, was arrested Tuesday after deputies stopped him for failing to signal for a full two seconds and following a vehicle too closely. After stopping, deputies “could immediately smell a moderate odor of raw marijuana,” according to a police affidavit.

After checking Brown’s license and finding out it was suspended in Illinois, deputies attempted to arrest Brown, leading to a pursuit “at speeds of approximately 120 miles per hour.”

Deputies lost sight of Brown’s vehicle, then a passing motorist called dispatch and “observed the suspect vehicle turn into an emergency crossover and drop items onto the (roadside),” according to the affidavit.

The document states that the dropped items were found to be a suitcase and a duffle bag, both containing suspected marijuana.

A second pursuit began after Utah Highway Patrol and other deputies located Brown’s vehicle “at a high rate of speed.” While a UHP trooper was deploying a spike strip, Brown swerved at and nearly hit the trooper, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Brown was taken into custody without further incident.

Patrick Brown was booked by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office on suspicion of seven counts, including:

• aggravated Assault, a third-degree felony;
• possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, a third-degree felony;
• failure to respond to officers signal to stop, a third-degree felony;
• reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor;
• driving with a suspended or revoked license, a class C misdemeanor;
• following another vehicle closer than is considered safe, an infraction, and;
• failure to signal for two seconds, an infraction.