Suspect Arrested in Theft of Patrol Car
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS           

9/3/99
State officers arrested the man they believe slid into
the driver's seat of a Utah Highway Patrol cruiser and sped 
away while handcuffed Monday.

Troopers took the man into custody in the area of 2100
South and 300 West after a brief scuffle about 5 p.m. Tuesday.
"He resisted arrest," Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Verdi White said.
"[The troopers] had to wrestle him down in the mud a little bit,
but nobody was hurt."

The incident began when the suspect allegedly led troopers on a
high-speed chase Monday night. Police tried to pull him over 
after spotting him in a stolen Chrysler New Yorker on 300 West
near 1500 South, White said.

Troopers took the man into custody after his car got stuck in the
mud in an I-15 construction area at about 2300 South about 11:15
p.m. Investigators found a stolen credit card and a shotgun in 
the car.

The man was handcuffed and put into Trooper Hiram Stohel's
patrol cruiser. A few minutes later Stohel saw his car speeding away.

After searching all night, troopers found the car under a viaduct at
about 3000 West and 1150 South. "It was driven over some railroad 
tracks and badly damaged. The car is likely totaled," White said.

Troopers believe the suspect stole a semi truck after leaving the
car. He drove around in that before the truck's owner saw it at the
Flying J Travel Plaza at 2100 South and 850 West and called police.

The suspect left on foot, and police found him a few miles from
the truck stop, White said. The troopers say he is the same man who
stole the UHP cruiser. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail
for investigation of automobile theft and evading police.


Copyright 1998, The Salt Lake Tribune

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