Chase ends when car bursts into flames

WEST VALLEY CITY — A car chase ended early Thursday in Salt Lake City when the fleeing man's vehicle burst into flames.

The incident began about 2:30 a.m. when a West Valley police officer observed a vehicle leaving a known drug house, said West Valley Police Capt. Tom McLachlan. The car took off when the officer tried to pull it over for a minor traffic violation, he said.

The chase was terminated for safety reasons just as the fleeing vehicle ran a red light at 4100 S. Bangerter Highway.

Taylorsville police later spotted the vehicle and resumed the pursuit. At one point they tried laying spikes in the road near 4700 South and 2200 West to disable the car, but the man drove around them, said Taylorsville Police Sgt. Rosie Rivera.

The fleeing vehicle then led police on a chase that stretched along Redwood Road, state Route 201 and I-80 before ending near 2800 S. Highland Drive. KSL-TV reported the car was traveling at least 100 mph on the freeway.

The chase ended when the car caught fire and the man was arrested. He had several outstanding warrants in addition to the new charges for fleeing, Rivera said.

Drug syringes were found in the vehicle, she said. It was unknown why the car caught fire.