CRIME

Man accused of trying to hit officer with his car, arrested later after claiming his car was stolen

Jul 30, 2024, 4:09 PM | Updated: Aug 8, 2024, 12:55 pm

Sandy police car...

FILE (Sandy Police Department)

(Sandy Police Department)

SANDY — A man suspected of trying to hit a police officer with his car and fleeing from police was arrested after he filed a false report claiming his vehicle was stolen, police say.

Oliver Emery Whittle, 19, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on felony charges of aggravated assault, failing to stop or respond at the command of police, and misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended license, interfering with a police officer, and filing a false report, according to the affidavit.

On Monday, a Sandy police officer reported finding four men with a blue Honda Accord and another car illegally parked in the Lone Peak Park parking lot when it was closed to the public.

According to the affidavit, the officer approached the two cars with their emergency lights on due to the parking violation.

“I observed the occupants in the Honda began making furtive movements by reaching around inside the vehicle for unknown objects,” the affidavit stated. “I observed the passenger turn around and began to look at me while I was walking up to the car.”

The affidavit states that the driver of the Honda, Whittle, turned on the car, and the officer began “yelling” at him to turn it off while “pounding on the back window.”

“Standing no more than a few inches away from the vehicle, I watched Whittle turn his vehicle left towards me as if it was attempting to strike me,” the affidavit reported. The officer stated that Whittle was able to drive away without turning towards him but chose not to.

According to the affidavit, Whittle drove away at a “high rate of speed” and turned southbound on 700 East. The officer returned to their car, spoke to other officers about where Whittle was last seen, and attempted to locate him.

After losing track of Whittle, the officer reported they returned to the park to speak to the other car. As the officer approached the park in their car, they spotted the blue Honda back on 700 East.

“Whittle then approached construction workers at 700 E and 9800 S who had northbound 700 E closed. I then watched Whittle turn onto Tulip Dr,” the affidavit stated.

The officer reported following the Honda, parked outside of a house, and turned off its lights. The officer approached the Honda and turned on their lights. The Honda quickly pulled out and began to flee again.

According to the affidavit, the officer began to chase the Honda going about 45 to 55 mph. When the Honda approached 1300 E Sego Lily Drive, it turned quickly and attempted to go southbound.

“However, due to the poor traction of his Honda, Whittle was unable to negotiate the right-hand turn, which caused (him) to pop up onto the curb and into the grass on the northbound side of the road and then travel wrong way,” the affidavit stated.

The officer determined that Whittle was driving recklessly and ended the chase. The officer believed Whittle was driving about 70 to 80 mph before losing sight of the Honda.

According to the affidavit, the officer believed Whittle blew out the Honda’s driver-side car tires as they saw “debris fly off his car, followed by sparks from the tires.” The officer began to follow the scratch marks left on the road.

While tracking Whittle, police dispatch received a call from the construction workers near 700 E. 9800 South, reporting that Whittle “flew passed him and went into a residential neighborhood in the area,” the affidavit stated.

The officer reported finding the Honda abandoned on 470 E. 9920 South. In the car, the officer found Whittle’s driver’s license and believed he was the driver.

According to the affidavit, several police agencies attempted to find Whittle and the other unidentified passenger but were unable to. Unified police officers went to the registered owner of the Honda, but they said they sold the car and no longer owned it. Officers reportedly tried to locate Whittle but did not find him.

At approximately 11:20 a.m., two other Sandy police officers were contacted by Whittle, who claimed his car was stolen. Officers reported finding Whittle two streets from where the Honda was found abandoned.

According to the affidavit, the two officers knew that Whittle was wanted and had him fill out a voluntary statement and an affidavit of theft of the vehicle. The officers then took Whittle into custody, and in a post-Miranda interview, he admitted to fleeing from police and filing a false police report.

The affidavit stated that Whittle also had a $250 speeding warrant for him.

KSL 5 TV Live

Crime

The Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in Salt Lake City (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)...

Alexander Campbell

Utah businessmen indicted, charged with financial crimes

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against two Utah businessmen on Tuesday, charging the pair with financial crimes.

8 hours ago

The BYU head cheerleading coach being hit in the head by a water bottle during Saturday's game agai...

Daniel Woodruff

U of U police arrest man accused of throwing water bottle that hit BYU cheer coach

University of Utah police have arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of assault in connection to a water bottle that hit Brigham Young University’s head cheerleading coach.

9 hours ago

David Gene Remley, 36, already facing charges of child kidnapping, is facing additional charges. (S...

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

More charges for St. George man accused of child kidnapping

A St. George man accused of kidnapping a woman and her three children in the fall and telling them they would soon be going to heaven, is now facing additional criminal charges.

9 hours ago

Mount Olympus trailhead...

Larry D. Curtis

Teen charged as adult in Mount Olympus trailhead murder

A 16-year-old boy is the latest person to be charged with the murder of Naod Welday, 18, at the Mount Olympus trailhead parking lot in August.

1 day ago

Salt Lake County Jail...

Lindsay Aerts

Salt Lake County leaders contemplating next steps if public safety bond fails

The voting numbers don't look good for Salt Lake County's public safety bond, which would have combined the county's two jails into one.

1 day ago

Police arrested a man on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in connection to a bike shop burglary. Police say i...

Dan Rascon

Police investigating if man arrested in bike shop burglary is connected to other break-ins

Police arrested a man over the weekend in connection to a bike shop burglary. But police say it's too early to know if the suspect is connected to other burglaries.

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

Laptops in a modern technology store. Department of computers in the electronics store. Choosing a ...

PC Laptops

How to choose the best laptop for college students

Finding the right laptop for college students can be hard, but with this guide we break down what to look for so you can find the best one.

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

Man accused of trying to hit officer with his car, arrested later after claiming his car was stolen