Man fleeing in stolen car arrested

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A suspected car thief was arrested following a chase here early Friday.

About 3:15 a.m., officers responded to the area of 8500 South and 3200 East on a report of three shots fired, said Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Mark Askerlund. While checking the area, an officer spotted a Honda Civic with the driver acting suspiciously, he said.

The officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the man drove off. The short chase ended near 8800 South and 3300 East when an officer performed a PIT maneuver on the fleeing car, causing it to spin out.

The driver got out and ran. An officer gave chase, tackled the man and placed him under arrest, Askerlund said.

Investigators discovered the Honda Civic was stolen. They believe the man may have been headed to a chop shop or stripping it for parts. He was in the process of taking the dashboard apart when he was spotted, Askerlund said.

No weapon was found. Police did not know Friday if the shots fired call was related to the fleeing driver. There were no immediate reports of damage caused by gunfire in that area.

Tyler Lee Williams, 23, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of fleeing, possession of burglary tools and possession of a stolen vehicle. In August, Williams pleaded guilty to shoplifting, but a warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear in court for a follow-up review hearing.

— Pat Reavy

Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam