ST. GEORGE — What began as a disturbance call in Washington City ended with a suspect hanging halfway out of a patrol vehicle in an alleged attempt to escape while being transported to jail.
On Friday evening, Washington City Police officers were dispatched to a residence to investigate a report of a male that was “screaming, yelling and acting crazy,” according to the probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest. While en route, officers learned the suspect left the residence and was last seen running down the street.
A second call to 911 from a neighbor also reported hearing the suspect screaming and yelling before they heard several loud crashing noises coming from the residence.
Police arrived and spoke to a witness at the house who told officers that minutes earlier, the suspect broke the TV and ripped the blinds from the window after becoming irate and agitated. He then fled the residence on foot.
Police located a man matching the description of the suspect – later identified as 40-year-old Grover Jackson – approximately a block from the residence. While speaking with Jackson, the report says, officers detected a strong odor of alcohol.
Jackson was arrested shortly thereafter and placed in the back of the patrol vehicle to be transported to jail.
During transport, Jackson, who was handcuffed with his hands behind his back, was able to maneuver his arms to the front of his body, roll the rear passenger window down and start to crawl out of the window.
Jackson had more than half of his body out of the window by the time the officer was able to pull off the highway and stop. After a short struggle, officers gained control of Jackson, who was again placed back in the patrol car to continue the journey to Purgatory Correctional Facility without further incident.
Unbeknownst to the transporting officer, the window lock for the inmate compartment of the patrol vehicle was not activated, Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams said.
At the jail, Jackson was booked on a felony escaping from official custody offense, along with misdemeanor criminal mischief and interfering with the arresting officer. He also faces an infraction for intoxication.
After the Washington County Attorney’s Office reviewed the proposed charges, the felony escape from custody offense was reduced to a class A misdemeanor, according to charging documents filed with the court.
Jackson has yet to be scheduled for a court appearance in the case and remains in custody on $5,000 bail.
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