Pursuit through Box Elder County ends with spiked tires, driver tasered

BRIGHAM CITY — A 38-year-old Idaho man was arrested Sunday night after officers spiked his vehicle’s tires following a low and high-speed pursuit through Box Elder County. Joseph Palmer, the driver of the fleeing vehicle, then tried to run from police but was tasered and taken into custody. A 40-year-old woman in the Mitsubishi four-door, who had called 911 during the pursuit, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The Utah Highway Patrol was alerted to the vehicle, which had been reported driving at a high rate of speed southbound from Idaho, about 9 p.m. Near the I-84/I-15 merge, a trooper spotted the vehicle and began following, though the vehicle wasn’t speeding. However, the driver was all over the road and the trooper attempted to pull the vehicle over near the Tremonton/Elwood exit. The driver signaled as if to pull over but sped up to the speed limit again. The trooper, while alerting other law enforcement agencies further south, followed the car for about three miles. The man took the Honeyville exit, and ran two stop signs while officers from UHP, Tremonton and Box Elder County were in pursuit. Speeds were around 30-45 mph. In a gravel pit area, the trooper attempted a PIT maneuver, which causes the pursued vehicle to spin out, but the driver recovered and eventually found his way back to state Route 38 headed south toward Brigham City. The Box Elder County deputy and Tremonton officer continued pursuing with the trooper and speeds reached 60 to 75 mph in a 55 mph zone. By that point, close to 10 p.m., Brigham City officers had set up with spike strips on both sides of the road, spiking the vehicle’s tires. The driver continued into Brigham City, headed west and struck a light pole. He left the car and tried to run, but was tasered and arrested. Officers discovered alcohol in the vehicle and that the man had a $5,000 warrant. Tremonton Police are investigating the PIT maneuver portion of the pursuit because there was contact between the trooper’s vehicle and the other vehicle. The trooper’s car was not damaged. Palmer was booked into the Box Elder County Jail on three felonies: evading a police officer, kidnapping and driving under intoxication.

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