SPANISH FORK, Utah — An overnight road rage incident in Spanish Fork led to the death of a 27-year-old man who fled from police before slamming into a large tree.
According to the Spanish Fork Police Department, the suspect first pulled alongside another vehicle at a traffic light in the area of 800 North Highway 6 just after 2:15 a.m. and began staring at another driver.
When the two vehicles drove off, the other driver said the suspect began to follow him and then started "ramming his vehicle," police reported. The driver called 911 to advise police and turned off of Highway 6, but the suspect followed and continued to try and ram the other vehicle.
An officer eventually spotted the suspect's vehicle in the area of 600 East Canyon Road and attempted a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, the suspect fled northbound on 400 East at police called a "high rate of speed" and the officer was unable to keep up.
When the officer continued on to the area where he last seen the suspect, he found the vehicle had collided with a large tree in the front of a home at 500 North 400 East.
Although officers and EMS personnel performed life saving measures on the suspect, the 27-year-old died on the scene.
The driver's name has not been released, but he has been identified as a Springville resident.
An investigation is underway and the Spanish Fork Police Department’s Officer-involved critical incident team remains on the scene.
