Grappler ends pursuit of stolen vehicle entering Utah from Arizona
By: -----
Washington City, UT - A video shows a grappler successfuly stop a driver in a stolen vehicle trying to evade law enforcement.
The Consolidated Communications Center broadcasted an Attempt to Locate for the vehicle entering Utah on I-15 from Arizona just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of California.
Officers with the Washington City Police Department saw the vehicle traveling northbound on I-15 and tried to stop it just a few miles later.
The driver would not yield and invaded officers. The driver exited the freeway, and police stopped their pursuit.
A ranger with the Division of Natural Resources spotted the vehicle near 4400 West State Street and tried to stop it. When the driver refused, the ranger initiated a pursuit.
A deputy with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, equipped with a specialized police grappler, was traveling about five vehicles behind and also responded.
The deputy caught up near 3820 West State Street. The driver continued to evade them and turned south onto Sand Hollow Road.
An officer with the Hurricane Police Department positioned ahead attempted to deploy spike strips, but the driver slowed down and swerved away from them.
That reduction in speed created an "optimal and safe opportunity" for the deputy to deploy his grappler, "bringing the pursuit to a rapid and controlled stop," the sheriff's office said.
The driver reportedly refused to comply when deputies commanded them to turn off the ignition and remove the keys. The driver tried to flee again, but the grappler held the vehicle in place.
Law enforcement safely removed the driver from the vehicle and took them into custody.
The driver was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility on the following charges:
* Possession of a stolen vehicle
* Evading/failure to stop at the command of law enforcement
* Driving on a suspended license
* Open container in the vehicle