A police chase involving a stolen car ended early Sunday near the U-201 on-ramp from Redwood Road, with a Taylorsville officer performing a PIT maneuver to force the vehicle to spin out before several juveniles were taken into custody. The overnight pursuit stretched across Interstate 215 and State Route 201 and involved a second vehicle whose occupants allegedly displayed gang signs and brandished what may have been a firearm before disappearing from the scene.
The chase began around 2 a.m. when a Taylorsville police officer spotted two vehicles being driven recklessly in what initially looked like a possible road-rage incident, according to Gephardt Daily. Because officers only knew of traffic violations at the time, they did not pursue the vehicles, Sgt. Griffith explained.
An officer then attempted to stop one of the vehicles, and the driver fled. West Valley City police soon notified Taylorsville officers that the vehicle had recently been stolen, though it had not yet been entered into law enforcement databases at the time. Around 3:30 a.m., Taylorsville police received a license plate reader alert flagging a different stolen vehicle — a silver Hyundai Elantra — a process governed by Utah Code § 41-6a-2003, which authorizes automated alerts when license plates match stolen vehicle databases, according to the Utah Transit Authority.
Elantra Pursuit Crosses Two Freeways
Officers found the Elantra traveling alongside a black Kia and followed both vehicles as additional units responded. Police initiated a pursuit once the Elantra entered Interstate 215, focusing on that vehicle because they could confirm it was stolen. The chase continued from I-215 onto State Route 201 and Redwood Road, a corridor that forms a major freeway interchange connecting Taylorsville, West Valley City, and Salt Lake City, according to background from West Valley City.
During the freeway pursuit, the black Kia pulled alongside officers, and someone inside held an object out a window that appeared possibly to be a firearm, Sgt. Griffith said. The Kia's occupants also displayed gang signs, though officers could not confirm whether the object was actually a weapon. Police lost sight of the Kia as they decided to focus on the confirmed stolen Elantra, and West Valley City police later recovered the black Kia, with no occupants inside, following a reported hit-and-run crash.
PIT Maneuver Ends Chase Near On-Ramp
The pursuit ended when an officer performed a PIT maneuver on the Elantra near the U-201 on-ramp from Redwood Road, causing the car to spin out, Sgt. Griffith said. The maneuver was used to end the pursuit.
The Elantra slowed while returning to SR-201, and the driver attempted to leave the roadway and drive through a fence before the car became stuck on a hillside. The vehicle's occupants then fled on foot, and officers took several people into custody, including the suspected driver, though other occupants managed to escape from the scene.
Regional Police Resources Join the Search
Murray police provided drones during the search for those who fled, while Riverton and Herriman police supplied K-9 teams to help establish a perimeter. The search involved assistance from multiple agencies.
Sgt. Griffith said officers believed they arrested about half of the Elantra's occupants, and those taken into custody were juveniles ages 16 and 17. Investigators are still working to identify the remaining suspects and to determine whether the incidents involving the Elantra and the black Kia were connected.
Felony Charges and Detention Rules for Teens
Under Utah law, motor-vehicle theft is addressed separately from general theft charges, which are graded by property value. Utah's juvenile justice guidelines also classify motor vehicle theft as a “holdable offense,” according to Intermountain Legal.
The Elantra pursuit adds to a broader pattern of vehicle thefts targeting Hyundai and Kia models across the Salt Lake Valley. The article also places the case in the broader context of vehicle theft.
Taylorsville's law-enforcement arrangements are also part of the city's history.
