• West Valley man arrested after high speed chase through Juab County by UHP Troopers

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HIGH SPEED CHASE • This stolen Mustang was driven by 23-year old Joseph Ballard in a high speed chase through Juab County. Troopers finally stopped the vehicle at the Bateman Dairy Farm south of Levan.

A 23-year old man was arrested following a high speed chase through Juab County at speeds that were clocked at 115 mph for much of the journey.

Arrested at the scene was Joseph Ballard, West Valley, said Greg Kelsey, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper.

At the time of the arrest, Ballard was in possession of a stolen yellow Mustang which he had taken from a friend in Denver, Colorado. He had previously stolen a vehicle from Utah and driven it to Colorado.

"The suspect had evaded police officers in West Valley the night before the arrest and had evaded police in both Spanish Fork and Payson the same day of the arrest," said Kelsey.

Since he knew the car he was driving would be marked as a stolen vehicle, he stole license plates in Salt Lake.

In all cases, when Ballard was pursued by officers, he would begin driving so out of control and at such high rates of speed within city limits that, for the safety of those on the streets, the chases were terminated by pursuing officers.

After that happened in Payson because Ballard was driving along 800 South at 100 mph, said Kelsey, officers noted that Ballard was heading south on Interstate 15, indicating that he may be headed to Juab County.

"Payson alerted us," said Kelsey. "He had also been reported for stealing gas in Spanish Fork."

Trooper Kelsey went to the bridge on I-15 near the freeway Exit 228. When he noted the Mustang, he pulled out behind it and began pursuing the vehicle. The vehicle was traveling at 110 mph but, before Kelsey turned on his flashing lights, Ballard went off on the freeway at Exit 225.

"He didn't stop at the stop sign and traveled straight back up the on-ramp at 225," said Kelsey.

UHP Sgt. Paul Mangelson had been taken up a position on the freeway where Ballard came back onto it and he then joined the pursuit.

Kelsey said that UHP Trooper Wes Dudley had pulled into the freeway median and had stopped traffic for other driver's safety but Ballard continued to travel at high rates of speed.

"The Mustang's maximum speed was 115 and the suspect kept the car at that speed," said Kelsey. "At Exit 222, the suspect did the same thing he had done earlier--he went off the freeway exit and without stopping shot across the street and entered the freeway at the on-ramp still headed in the same direction."

UHP Lt. Doug Anderson attempted to stop Ballard by putting out a tire shredder but Ballard swerved and avoided it. Ballard continued traveling southbound on the freeway at high speed.

"He came upon a vehicle and semi traveling side by side on the freeway so that he was unable to pass," said Kelsey. "Ballard just pulled into the emergency lane and passed the two vehicles."

After that, it was mostly quiet and Ballard had a clear run at the freeway.

At Mills Junction, said Kelsey, Ballard exited the freeway and traveled back along the old highway toward Levan. Meanwhile, Sgt. Mangelson, suspected that Ballard might try leaving the freeway in that area. Mangelson had left the freeway and was traveling along Powell Lane hoping to intercept Ballard.

In addition, Nephi City officers were traveling, as back-up, toward Levan. Kelsey said he was hoping to box Ballard in.

"Ballard traveled all the way into Levan," said Kelsey. He then traveled along SR 28 toward Mangelson. At Powell Lane, Ballard struck the UHP tire shredder set up by Mangelson.

Ballard's right front tire was deflated, shredded and came off of the rim. Nevertheless, he did not stop trying to get away and, finally, drove off the roadway into Bateman's Dairy south of Levan.

He narrowly missed a pedestrian at the dairy, said Kelsey. The ground was muddy at the dairy farm which might mean that a car could slide into a pedestrian, there were a few out around the dairy.

Trooper Anderson did what UHP members call a PIT short for Pursuit Intervention Technique. Anderson used his patrol car to attempt to stop Ballard by bumping him with the patrol car on the passenger side of the Mustang.

"He did it perfectly," said Kelsey.

PIT should be done at a slow rate of speed as the officer bumps the side of the fleeing vehicle by the front of the patrol car.

Usually, the car will spin out to the side and will stop. However, Ballard spun a 360-degree turn and kept going. As he accelerated, he headed in the direction of a concrete silo at the farm.

"I rammed his car in the rear axle with my patrol car and pinned his car against the wall of the silo," said Kelsey. Troopers broke the window of the Mustang in order to get Ballard out because he would not exit the car on his own.

Since there was damage to a patrol car, the Juab County Sheriff's Office was called to the scene to investigate.

Any time a use of force is employed in stopping a suspect, officers have to face a review board.

While Ballard tried to evade police on Friday, Nov. 12, that review board had just determined that the use of force was justified.

"Under Utah law, stealing and possession of stolen property, carry the same penalty," said Kelsey. Nevertheless, Colorado, West Valley City, Spanish Fork or Payson may want to add charges of their own.

Ballard has been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. He has also been charged with felony evading, felony possession of stolen license plates, theft of gas, and reckless endangerment which are Class A misdemeanors.

Other charges may be added.

Kelsey said Ballard may have thought he had been successful in evading police in several other places in the last few days so that he may not have thought he would be stopped.