| The pursuit started on U.S. Highway 6 north of Interstate 70 after two male subjects allegedly robbed a Green River hotel. The chase ended near Sunnyside Junction. One subject was wounded by a state trooper, the other was arrested on the scene. The incident forced the closure of Highway 6 on Sunday night. |
Two male subjects wanted for questioning in connection with an alleged armed robbery in Emery County were apprehended by law enforcement Sunday evening near Sunnyside Junction on U.S. Highway 6.
The incident reportedly began before 7 p.m. on March 12 at the Comfort Inn in Green River.
Initial reports indicate that two adult males stopped at the Comfort Inn and one suspect allegedly entered the hotel, leaving the other in the vehicle.
The subject who entered the hotel reportedly held up the clerk working at the front desk.
Shortly after the alleged incident, the clerk at the hotel called emergency dispatch and gave what law enforcement called a fairly accurate description of the dark sports utility vehicle the two suspects were purportedly driving.
Public safety dispatch issued an attempt to locate a dark SUV last seen in the vicinity of Green River.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement spotted a vehicle that met the description given by the hotel clerk traveling westbound on U.S. 6 toward Price.
Initial reports indicate that the vehicle may have been stolen and plates from Indiana were displayed on the SUV.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper reportedly attempted to stop the suspect vehicle. The details were unclear at press time whether the driver complied with the trooper’s command and stopped the SUV.
However, a spokesperson for the Utah Highway Patrol indicated that the subjects engaged the officer in a high-speed pursuit.
With the chase heading toward Price, law enforcement in Carbon County headed east on U.S. 6 to set up a roadblock.
At milepost 258 east of the junction with Utah Highway 123 to Sunnyside and East Carbon, law enforcement reportedly set up a road block and prepared to set spikes in front of the vehicle.
For some reason, the subjects stopped before the two adult males arrived at the road block, according to participating law enforcement agencies. Shots were purportedly fired.
One subject was wounded and flown by helicopter to University of Utah Medical Center.
Details are unclear as to what transpired, but law enforcement investigators indicated that the subject was purportedly shot by a state trooper with an M-14 handgun.
The injured suspect was reported to be in stable condition on Monday. Neither the identities of the subjects nor the name of the trooper involved have been released.
The trooper is on paid administrative leave while law enforcement agencies investigate the incident.
The Carbon County law enforcement department is conducting an investigation into the incident, confirmed Sheriff James Cordova.
In addition, UHP is conducting an internal investigation into the matter.
The County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the incident is expected to conclude within a few days, explained Cordova. He said more information regarding the details of the shooting will be available at that time.
Since the incident started in Green River, the Emery County Sheriff’s Office will investigate the alleged criminal offenses.
Sheriff Lamar Guymon was not available for comment on the Emery County law enforcement agency’s involvement in the matter.
The investigative process that is taking place illustrates the inter-agency cooperation that is essential to rural areas of the state, pointed out a public information officer for the UHP, Lt. Doug McCleve.
Suspected criminal offenders do not care where county and state lines are, noted the UHP public information officer. As a result, it is important for agencies from different counties and the state to join forces in apprehending suspected offenders and investigating alleged crimes.