ENOCH CITY, Utah — Two suspects led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through southern Utah that reached speeds of up to 189 miles per hour before they were forcefully stopped.
On Thursday, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper in Sevier County was passed by a Dodge Charger with no license plate traveling at 166 miles per hour. Minutes later, a dispatch center reported a call that the Dodge was seen heading southbound on Interstate 15 near the Interstate 70 junction.
When another trooper attempted to make a traffic stop by flashing his emergency lights, the Dodge moved to the highway shoulder to pass other vehicles while speeding at 189 miles per hour before exiting the highway in Beaver and continuing to drive at a high rate of speed.
When the UHP trooper disengaged from the pursuit, officers from other agencies responded in an attempt to locate the Dodge. A Beaver County deputy found the car on SR-21 and attempted to stop the vehicle, only for it to flee southbound on SR-130 towards Cedar City.
A different UHP trooper later found the Charger, at which point the driver accelerated to 110 miles per hour and continued toward Enoch City.
After failing to stop the Dodge on two previous attempts using sticks to deflate its tires, officers used the PIT technique to stop the suspects after they had turned onto Thoroughbred Lane in Enoch City.
Both men fled the Dodge, with the driver, identified as Cristian Sanchez Luna, throwing an AR-style rifle over the fence before being taken into custody. The Dodge's passenger, Ethan Mason, also tried to run on foot but was eventually caught and arrested.
Near the Dodge, troopers found a white plastic bag containing approximately three pounds of psilocybin, a psychedelic drug. Inside the car, authorities found two mason jars of marijuana, along with other drug paraphernalia.
Mason, and presumably Luna, face multiple charges, including possession with intent to distribute and failure to respond to an officer's signal to stop.
