This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Willard police officer shot and killed a Sandy man who led police on a high-speed chase late Friday before crashing his sport utility vehicle on Interstate 15 about six miles south of Brigham City.
Police first spotted the maroon GMC Denali driven by Cody J. Ramseyer, 49, as it sped northbound on I-15 through Davis County about 10:15 p.m. Friday. The SUV was traveling at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, the Utah Highway Patrol said in a news release.
Multiple 911 callers also reported a reckless driver and UHP troopers tried stopping the vehicle in both Davis and Weber counties without success.
A Pleasant View police officer also tried to stop the SUV near exit 357 in Box Elder County, but Ramseyer veered to the right and his vehicle crashed into a ditch at about 10:30 p.m., UHP spokesman Lawrence Hopper said. The accident was in the Willard Bay area, he said.
Officers from Pleasant View, Harrisville, Willard and UHP all responded to the accident scene and made contact with Ramseyer, whom UHP contends was aggressive and threatening to police.
A UHP trooper and a Pleasant View officer deployed Tasers at Ramseyer, but the stun gun failed to stop his aggressive behavior, UHP said. A Willard police officer then shot Ramseyer, who dropped to the ground.
Ramseyer was transported by Brigham City Community Hospital and then by air ambulance to McKay-Dee Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, UHP said.
An effort to reach Willard Police Chief Joe Curfew was unsuccessful Saturday evening and a telephone listing for an address associated with Ramsayer rang busy.
State court records indicate Ramseyer has no recent criminal history and that he once owned a dry wall and stone masonry business.
The UHP provided no information about the number of shots that were fired by the officer, or where Ramseyer's body was hit.
Police also did not say whether Ramseyer, who was alone in the car, was armed or under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances.
The accident and shooting remain under investigation by the Utah Department of Public Safety, the state Bureau of Investigation and the Box Elder County Attorney's office.