I-15 closed near St. George after chase, standoff

HURRICANE, Washington — A 37-year-old man is in custody after a standoff shut down northbound and southbound lanes of I-15 for more than nine hours near Hurricane Monday.

Jason Alley was booked into the Washington County Jail late Monday, booking records show. A transient from La Verkin, the man was being held for investigation of evading, reckless endangerment, failure to yield, failure to stop, failing to use a signal and a seatbelt violation.

Alley was pulled over in the Toquerville area for a failure to yield traffic violation around 11 a.m. He then sped off for an unknown reason, leading police through both La Verkin and Hurricane before the chase ended on I-15 northbound near mile marker 16. Alley drove his maroon Scion across the median and into the southbound lanes and was driving at speeds up to 90 mph before road spikes were deployed, disabling the vehicle around noon, the Utah Highway Patrol reported.

Authorities said Alley had his two sons with him — a 7-year-old and a teenager. Both children were uninjured and are now in the custody of the state Department of Child and Family Services.

"The children were never in any danger from what we saw," said Washington County Sheriff Cory Pulsipher.

But for more the nine hours, law enforcement officials from the UHP, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Hurricane police and Washington City police surrounded Alley's disabled vehicle and negotiated with him. A SWAT team was called in as well.

The freeway was shut down in both directions and traffic was diverted around an 11-mile stretch, while officials negotiated with Alley — whom officials reported as being armed.

Based on conversations police had with family members and what Alley told negotiators, Pulsipher said Alley seemed to be concerned for his boys' welfare and was trying to protect them.

About 9 p.m., Alley complied with police, put his weapon on the roof of his car and turned himself in.

All lanes of the freeway were reopened by 9:30 p.m.

During the standoff, Coral Canyon Elementary School in Washington City was also placed on lockdown. The children were eventually bused home from the school, which is visible from the freeway.

— Hunter Schwarz, Jed Boal