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Woman calls self a ‘sovereign citizen’ after high-speed police chase

Posted at 8:50 PM, Apr 24, 2013
and last updated 2013-04-25 00:49:19-04

DRAPER, Utah - A woman is in custody after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase through Salt Lake County.

The chase started at around 1 p.m. on northbound Interstate 15 near 12300 South. Police say an officer tried to pull the woman over for speeding and illegally using the emergency lane to pass backed up traffic. She refused to stop and the officer called for backup.

The chase continued northbound, sometimes reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. Officers tried stopping the car with spikes at 8000 South, but she was able to swerve around them. At around 7200 South, another spike strip popped a tire, but the woman continued driving with a flat tire.

"We attempted on multiple occasions to deploy spikes to get the vehicle stopped," said Trooper Michael Funk with UHP.

The woman, identified as Lisa Ann Bluth, was boxed in and stopped near 600 North exit of I-15.

When they took her into custody, Utah Highway Patrol officials say Bluth told them she is a sovereign citizen and immune to the law.

"She just apparently didn't feel like the laws didn't apply to her," Funk said.

Bluth didn't have a license with her and called herself Lisa Sovereen, so police officers had difficulty identifying her at first.

She was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on multiple charges, including third degree felony failure to stop at the command of a police officer, misdemeanor criminal mischief and assault.

Bluth was also cited for not wearing a seat belt, making improper lane changes and violating HOV lane restrictions.

No one was hurt in the chase.