A Carbon County man was taken into custody at approximately 3:50 Saturday just south of Circle C Trailer Court in Carbonville after leading police in a high speed chase that began at approximately 11:35 that morning.
Carbon County Sheriff’s Deputy Isaiah Palmer attempted to stop a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Nicholas Taylor east of Price on SR6. Taylor failed to stop and took off at a high rate of speed heading toward Wellington. The chase continued west on Ridge Road to SR10. Officer Chad Feichko from the Wellington City Police Department responded to assist Palmer in the pursuit. Law enforcement officers from Price City, Helper City, Utah Highway Patrol, Wellington City, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and AP&P all assisted in the incident.
From there, Taylor drove north toward Price on SR10 and onto Wood Hill Road. Law enforcement personnel put spikes on SR10 in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The spikes blew out the left front tire. Despite the flat tire, the vehicle traveled from Price to Wood Hill.
According to Sgt. Ronnie Bogdin of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, while leading officers in the high speed chase, Taylor called dispatch and told officers to back off, warning that he was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and would “not be taken into custody alive.”
“Because of the threat of that kind of weapon, the SWAT team was called in to assist in the search,” explained Bogdin. “Most every law enforcement agency in the county was there assisting.”
The suspect then fled from the vehicle and traveled on foot to the Wood Hill area. Officers searched ravines and plateaus north of Price when a tip from a resident in Carbonville advised that the suspect was seen running through a field by the Price River.
Law enforcement surrounded the area and apprehended Taylor around 3:50 that afternoon, just south of Circle C trailer court along the Price River. When he was taken into custody, Taylor did not have an assault rifle on him and one was not found in his vehicle.
Taylor was transferred to Castleview Hospital after being apprehended.
“It was just standard procedure to take him out and make sure there were no injuries,” explained Carbon County Chief Deputy Tom Stefanoff. “He was not injured.”
The black Dodge Durango that Taylor was driving had been stolen from Tony Basso GM. According to Stefanoff, the vehicle was stolen shortly before Deputy Palmer attempted to stop the vehicle on SR6.
According to Stefanoff, the charges against Taylor include a felony charge of evading the police, driving on suspended license, speeding, reckless driving, criminal mischief, failure to stop at the command of an officer, giving false information to a peace officer, resisting arrest and vehicle theft. Taylor also had four warrants for his arrest.