This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A violent ex-con has been charged with attempted aggravated murder for allegedly ramming a police cruiser and nearly striking an officer as he sped through tire spikes to make a weekend escape.

In addition to that first-degree felony, 43-year-old Christopher John McMillan was charged late Tuesday in 3rd District Court with third-degree felony failure to stop at the command of an officer, and class B misdemeanor reckless driving. McMillan remained at large Wednesday, the subject of a new arrest warrant. He also was identified as "public enemy No. 1" on Wednesday by Salt Lake County's Metro Gang Unit.

McMillan, on the run since cutting off his court-ordered ankle monitor Feb. 10, was spotted Saturday getting into a car with two women in West Valley City. When he realized police were following him, he allegedly pushed the women out of the vehicle near Highway 201 and 7400 West in neighboring Magna and sped away.

Officers say they successfully spiked the tires of the suspect's vehicle, but McMillan drove on, swerving toward one officer, who escaped injury by taking shelter behind a squad car. A short time later, McMillan purportedly rammed a UPD cruiser at 3100 S. 7400 West, causing minor injuries to the officer driving that unit.

Despite damage to the tires of the suspect's vehicle, the chase resumed at speeds of more than 100 mph. Eventually, the pursuit — by then including Unified Police units — was called off due to public-safety concerns.

McMillan, charged with burglary and theft in last October's $140,000 Alaskan Fur Gallery heist in Park City, had been give pre-trial release Dec. 2, 2015; in connection with yet another case, he was required to wear the ankle monitor.

His release came despite Adult Probation and Parole officials having amended McMillan's file less than two weeks prior, asking for his return to prison for violating probation. An arrest warrant was issued Feb. 11, after 3rd District Judge Paige Petersen learned that McMillan had cut off the monitor and was on the run.

Meanwhile, McMillan also had been scheduled for arraignment March 4 in Salt Lake County on multiple felony firearms and aggravated assault charges stemming from an East Millcreek domestic dispute in October 2015, during which he allegedly fired several gunshots, one of which hit his brother in the foot.

McMillan has a long felony criminal history stretching back to 1993, ranging from numerous drug-related and firearms possession by a restricted person offenses, to theft and burglary.

Utah Department of Corrections records show that before the latest alleged crimes, McMillan had been on probation since he was released from prison July 6, 2015.

He is described as 5 feet 11 inches and 210 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair. He has tattoos of an iron cross and a swastika on his right leg and an iron cross on his left shoulder.

Anyone with information on McMillan's whereabouts is asked to call 911, or Unified Police at 801-743-7000.

Twitter: @remims