Pursuit on SR-17 into Toquerville lands man in jail for allegedly evading police

Composite image with background stock photo and overlay of Washington County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A Toquerville man was arrested for felony evading following a pursuit with a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy that  began on state Route 17 and ended at a home in Toquerville.

2019 file photo of Washington County Sheriff’s deputies in Washington County, Utah, Sept. 14, 2019 | File photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

On Monday shortly after 6:30 p.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy noticed a Ford Mustang pass another car in a no passing zone near Anderson Junction as the vehicle headed east on State Route 17, just southeast of exit 27 on Interstate 15.

When the deputy saw Mustang reportedly pass another car in a similar zone, the deputy accelerated to catch up the Mustang traveling at a high rate of speed, according to the probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest.

According to the deputy, the Mustang was going 90-100 mph in a 60 mph speed zone that curved through an area of blind curves along the highway. The deputy activated the emergency lights on his patrol vehicle to stop the car, but the suspect allegedly accelerated away from police, while a number of other motorists were pulling to the right when they noticed the flashing lights.

The suspect continued off the highway and headed south into Toquerville, where the Mustang turned right into a residential neighborhood with the officer in tow. After blowing through a four-way stop sign, the deputy noted, the suspect continued speeding as the Mustang passed several small children playing outside of one of the residences, which is when the deputy terminated the pursuit.

According to the report, officers remained stationed near the roadway that also served as the only street leading out of the neighborhood, which is when a witness approached and told police there were ongoing issues the Mustang driver who, according to the witness, was often seen driving recklessly through the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, emergency dispatch began receiving calls from several residents living along Peach Tree Street reporting a black Mustang that was seen speeding down the street, nearly hitting a toddler playing in front of one of the homes – information that was relayed to deputies in the area.

Witnesses later reported seeing the mustang pull into a gravel driveway and park on the side of one of the residences, and when deputies arrived, they found the car parked to the side of the home. The Mustang appeared to be in a crooked position, as if the driver turned onto the gravel road and then stopped quickly. The deputy surmised it was the suspect’s vehicle, a belief further bolstered by the “extremely” hot air coming from the Mustang’s hood.

When the deputy knocked, the man who opened the front door matched the description of the driver who reportedly fled police. The deputy also noted the man’s hair was damp as he admitted the Mustang was his. Just as the man stepped backward and attempted to close the door, the deputy grabbed the suspect and pulled him out of the house.

Based on the totality of the circumstances and the “overwhelming” amount of evidence that included dashcam footage, witness statements and footage from a number of cameras scattered throughout the neighborhood, the driver, who was later identified as 24-year-old Malachi Aurthur Wade Bouck, was arrested by police.

Early Tuesday morning, Bouck was transported to jail facing third-degree felony charge of failing at command of police, along with reckless driving and failing to stop at command of law enforcement, each a misdemeanor. While there, the suspect reportedly denied fleeing during an interview with police. The officer also noted that Bouck admitted to speeding through the neighborhood earlier, but told deputies he was not the one who was fleeing from them.

Bouck also said he saw the children playing and he “should have slowed down,” the deputy recounted in the report, but the deputy also stated that the only way the suspect could have seen the children was if he was the driver of the fleeing vehicle, since the children ran into the house as soon as the fleeing Mustang passed by.

The deputy also noted the suspect had a prior fleeing incident involving a DUI that took place out of state, and has continued to display a “clear pattern of reckless driving behavior that is likely to seriously injure of kill someone if this continues.”

The suspect was formally charged with the offenses the following day.

This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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