Man flees police, crashes into parked car

A man was taken to the hospital in critical condition after fleeing from police early Friday.

At 12:45 a.m., a deputy made a traffic stop near 4500 South and I-15 for a car "displaying a strange driving pattern," according to Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson.

The officer turned on his lights at the intersection of 4500 South and I-15. The officer noticed the light turn green, but the car didn't move. The officer was about to get out of his vehicle when the car slowly started to drive west, Hutson said.

The car made a turn to go north and pulled to the side of the road, but suddenly darted back into traffic. The officer followed the car, now traveling at a "high rate of speed on 500 West," according to Hutson.

The deputy saw a cloud of dust at 3300 South and 500 West. Hutson said the driver of the car had traveled to a dead-end in an industrial area and struck a parked car. The car flipped over, injuring the 47-year-old man, who was wearing a seat belt, Hutson said.

The man was taken to Intermountain Medical Center in critical, "but not life-threatening," condition, according to Hutson. The man had two outstanding warrants with a total bail of $5,000. The accident is under investigation by South Salt Lake police.

— Cimaron Neugebauer