The woman involved in a two county high speed chase in August was sentenced in Carbon County Seventh District Court on Monday, afterВ prosecutorsВ claimed she may be a danger to society.
After being incarcerated for five months, Jamie Rae Wissmar appeared before Judge George Harmond for sentencing. Wissmar’s defense attorney, David Allred, pleaded the incident on August 27, 2012 was an example of a woman who had been consumed by addiction, and now needs help for that addiction.
“Your Honor Wissmar’s acts may have been serious, but I ask you to look to the reason behind them which is addiction,” Allred said. “She has served over five months incarcerated, and I wonder if additional punishment will help?”
“I believe she is ready to help herself, and my client exhibits the desire to do so in her written statement, ‘I hope for a good probation officer andВ treatmentВ plan to help me’,” Allred continued.
Wissmar expressed her willingness to change in her own statement to the court,”My drug use has lead to black-out situations, and I would like to apologize to those I have hurt. Please consider my time served because I’m ready to change my life for the best.”
With Wissmar’s charges, and the actions which lead to those charges, the court found it difficult to release Wissmar into an adult probation/treatment program and back into the public.
“When Miss Wissmar uses drugs, dangerous things happen,” said prosecuting attoryney Jeremy Humes. “If she does relapse she may endanger the public.”
Wissmar was charged with two counts of failure to stop at the command of an officer, both third-degree felonies; two counts of reckless driving, class B misdemeanors; criminal trespass, a class A misdemeanor; theft, a third-degree felony; assault on a police officer, assault to cause bodily harm to another, and interfering with the arresting officer, all class B misdemeanors.
The counts charged against Wissmar stem from a high speed chase on August 27, 2012 which exceeded speeds of 105mph.
According to UHP Public Information Officer Steve Winward, the initial pursuit started on Highway 6 at approximately 4 p.m. near Helper on August 27, when Trooper Bradley Shaw stopped a white BMW sedan for speeding. Wissmar allegedly sped off and Shaw ended the chase near Price Recreation on Highway 6.
“He (Shaw) had the license plate number so he terminated pursuit,” Winward said. He cited safety reasons for the termination.
Then two hours later, Cpl. Shawn Alton pulled over the same BMW near Huntington in Emery County again for excessive speeds. Speeds reached over 100 mph as the chase made its way back into Carbon County. Sheriff’s deputies from Carbon County Sheriff’s Office used spike strips near State Farm Road near milepost 58, taking out three of the four tires on the sedan. Again, troopers ended the pursuit due to safety precautions.
Wissmar was again spotted, this time at 300 E. Hillcrest Drive in Price, where she did not reside, and was promptly taken into custody.
“Taking a look at your file Miss Wissmar, there is an increasing threatening pattern,” said Judge Harmond. “Considering the nature of addiction, and that when you are under the influence you commit acts which are very dangerous to society, I can not take the chance.”
Judge Harmoned sentenced Wissmar to serve up to five years in the Utah State Prison with the recommendation that her time served be considered. However, Harmond emphasized the request of time served was a recommendation and may not be granted by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. Harmond also ordered $1480 in restitution fees be paid to the victim of theft and criminal trespass.
Wissmar is scheduled for an initial appearance on the charges of failure to stop at the command of В police, DUI, driving on revocation, and speeding in Emery County Seventh District Court on February 20.