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Suspect in I-15 chase posed too great of risk to let go, police say

Posted at 8:42 PM, Jan 19, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-19 22:42:03-05

SALT LAKE CITY – Michael Felts faces a laundry list of charges after leading police on a high-speed chase along Interstate 15 Sunday afternoon.

Those charges include failure to stop, DUI, aggravated assault, fleeing and drug possession.

Police say when the suspect saw them he jumped in his car and hit the gas.

They were looking for 47-year-old Felts after he allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend.

"Because of the aggravated assaults and the death threats and the weapons that were involved -- the officers felt that he was a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death to the victim and to the public. So they pursued him vigorously," said Sgt. Dan Roberts with the West Jordan Police Department.

Police say this wasn't the first time Felts ran from officers. He had a felony warrant out for fleeing.

The officer in charge Sunday believed Felts posed too great a risk to the victim and other drivers on the road to let him go.

"And in this case the fact that he was resisting and fleeing, compounded with the aggravated actions that he had done before validated pursing and catching him," Roberts said.

Officers say Felts weaved in and out of traffic and nearly hit several cars.

The chase came to an end when three police cruisers boxed him in and pushed Felts off the road.

Police found methamphetamine in the car and said from his actions it seemed clear Felts recently used drugs.