WASHINGTON CITY — A Washington City man is in jail after allegedly taking officers on a low-speed pursuit in a minivan that ended when he hit a police officer’s patrol vehicle head-on Friday afternoon.
The incident began just before 4 p.m. Friday when motorists started calling 911 to report a possible reckless driver after a silver minivan struck a speed limit sign near the intersection of Green Springs Drive and Buena Vista Boulevard, Washington City Police Lt. Jason Williams said.
As the driver continued east on Buena Vista Boulevard, witnesses followed the vehicle and updated 911 dispatchers with location information that was then relayed to responding officers.
Officers started following the minivan on Buena Vista to initiate a traffic stop, but instead of stopping, Williams said the vehicle continued east and then pulled into the Millcreek Springs subdivision off of North Millcreek Springs Drive with officers in tow.
As the minivan continued into the subdivision, the man drove through a number of yards and over several lawns, Williams said, adding that he hit “at least two other vehicles” as he continued on.
Meanwhile, an officer traveling through the subdivision in the opposite direction was struck head-on by the minivan as the driver attempted to leave the area, Williams said, describing the crash as a “low-speed impact that stopped the minivan without causing any injuries.”
At that point, the driver, who police identified as Larry Maxwell III, was taken into custody without further incident and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility where he remains on $7,370 bail at the time of this report.
Maxwell was booked into jail on multiple offenses, including a third-degree felony charge for evading police-fleeing by vehicle, as well as two class B misdemeanors for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. Maxwell also faces one class C misdemeanor for having an open container and a traffic infraction for improper lane travel.
At least three vehicles sustained moderate damage during the incident, not including the damage to the minivan, Williams said.
“At least that’s how many vehicles we’ve found up to this point,” he said.
This report is based on statements from police and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.
I’m going out on a limb here, but I bet he blew a .05 triple or better.