ST. GEORGE — A man was arrested early Monday morning after a pursuit on northbound Interstate 15 reached speeds of more than 130 mph.
On Sunday night, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper monitoring traffic on I-15 just south of the St. George Boulevard Exit observed a motorcycle heading north at a high rate of speed. The trooper estimated the driver was traveling “well over 100 mph in a 70 mph speed zone,” according to charging documents filed in 5th District Court.
The trooper, with emergency lights and siren activated, pulled onto the interstate heading north, far behind the motorcyclist who was reportedly weaving through traffic and continuing along at a high rate of speed.
The trooper caught up to the bike near milepost 18 and followed directly behind him, who was traveling at more than 125 mph, the report states.
At one point the rider reportedly looked back toward the trooper, sped up and continued north at more than 130 mph without “showing any signs of slowing,” the trooper wrote.
A mile or so later, the suspect slowed enough for the trooper to pull alongside and get a description of the motorcycle and the rider, but was unable to see the license plate, which was bent and unreadable.
The rider veered to the left and continued toward the emergency shoulder near the concrete median, and after “almost coming to a stop,” the report states, the suspect quickly accelerated away. This made it “continuously obvious” the rider was trying to flee from police, the trooper noted, since the rider first pulled off along an “asphalt median shoulder,” and then rode the bike through the tall grass with the trooper following at a distance.
The bike continued across the median toward the southbound side of the interstate, but when encountering a concrete median, the suspect turned around and rode down a dirt embankment.
The suspect continued toward Red Cliffs Campground Road in the direction of the overpass. The trooper discontinued the pursuit and returned to the northbound side of I-15 to alert other officers of the suspect’s last known location.
The bike reappeared and continued through the dirt embankment to re-enter I-15 heading north, but when it appeared the rider spotted police, he reversed direction and headed uphill into the steep embankment. The bike lost traction and nearly fell over onto its side. The trooper then approached and ordered the rider to stop at gunpoint, the report states.
The rider continued to throttle down on the accelerator to dislodge the bike, and as the trooper approached, the rider lost control of the bike, which ultimately fell onto its side.
The suspect attempted to flee on foot just as several Washington County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene. After a short tussle, the suspect was taken into custody by police. He was identified as Christopher Michael Jones, 47, of Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the incident, officers say they detected the odor of alcohol on Jones.
After being transported to St. George Regional Hospital for medical clearance, Jones was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility early Monday morning on a third-degree felony evading charge, along with suspected DUI, reckless driving and failing to stop at the command of police, each a misdemeanor. He also was charged with possession of marijuana and two traffic infractions.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders 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.
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