A 16-year-old Salt Lake boy was arrested after allegedly leading police on a chase involving three stolen and crashed cars, and ending in a four-hour manhunt in the Morgan foothills.
Morgan County Sheriff Bert Holbrook the episode began when a Porsche was stolen from East Canyon State Park at 8:15 a.m. Friday. The Porsche's owner tried to stop the thief, but the suspect drove to U-66.The suspect lost control of the sports car and wrecked it as he was turning a corner, the sheriff said.
Two females from Salt Lake City who apparently knew the suspect picked him up in a blue Chrysler van with California license plates that had been stolen from Salt Lake City, Hol-brook said.
The suspect then drove the van over Henefer Divide where Summit County Sheriff's Lt. Louis Stevens observed the trio and started to follow them. Stevens lost sight of the vehicle as it turned a corner.
Holbrook said the three then stopped in Tag-gart, where they unsuccessfully attempted to steal another vehicle.
Eventually the trio, still in the van, passed Holbrook at the Round Valley Pass east of Morgan, where he chased them at speeds up to 90 mph.
The suspect lost control of the van, wrecked it and escaped into the foothills. The female passengers, aged 15 and 18, were transported to St. Benedict's Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries.
The two were later arrested and charged with auto theft, Holbrook said.
Officers from Weber, Summit and Morgan counties and the Utah Highway Patrol used two dogs and a small airplane to search for the boy.
Holbrook said the suspect came upon a geological crew surveying the hills just above the point where the van was wrecked. The suspect stole the crew's Jeep but lost control while driving down the mountain and crashed.
The suspect abandoned the vehicle, fleeing on foot. He tried to hide in cedar trees, but officers apprehended him five miles west of a Utah Department of Transportation shed near Morgan.
The boy was being held on three counts of auto theft, reckless driving and evading a police officer.
Holbrook said all the stolen vehicles had keys left in their ignitions.