Wanted man arrested after his panic catches officer's eye

A man with $50,000 in outstanding warrants not only drew a lot of attention to himself Friday, but gave police two chances to catch him.

A Salt Lake police officer was responding to an unrelated call Friday morning when the driver in front of him, apparently paranoid about being followed by an officer, accelerated at a high rate of speed to get away, said Salt Lake detective Jeff Bedard.

Not knowing why the man took off, the officer did not engage in a high speed chase but did get his license plate number. That's when he found out the man had outstanding warrants for shoplifting.

About 10:40 a.m., after the officer was done responding to his original call, he was driving near 400 South and 400 West and saw the same vehicle again.

The driver fled again but this time hit another vehicle, driven by a pregnant woman, at 400 South Rio Grande (455 West). The woman was not injured. The man got of his car and ran, but was caught near 330 South.

Adam Kartchner, 23, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of felony fleeing and hit-and-run in addition to his warrants.