This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated.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 Utah Highway Patrol trooper escaped injury Sunday after a suspected intoxicated driver rammed his patrol vehicle head-on along Interstate 15.
Troopers said that starting about 12:45 a.m., a 22-year-old West Jordan man drove about 12.5 miles southbound in the northbound lanes of I-15 — even though his vehicle's tires were spiked twice and, at one point, the man rammed a trooper's vehicle head-on.
Troopers said the incident started near 400 South when a motorist called authorities to report the man was driving the wrong way in the high-occupancy vehicle lane in a 2000 Ford Ranger.
When troopers attempted to stop the driver, authorities said, he kept driving even after officers twice deployed tire-deflating spike strips.
At 9200 South, UHP Capt. Mark Zesiger attempted to stop the vehicle, but the man crashed head-on into his patrol vehicle, disabling the patrol car but not injuring Zesiger.
The man continued southbound until troopers were able to stop him at 10500 South. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and other crimes.
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