Davis County Sheriff's Sgt. Lane Gleave didn't think a small, compact pickup truck would be any match for his massive Ford Crown Victoria.
He was trying to nudge the truck off I-15 during a high-speed chase in Layton Saturday about 7 p.m. Gleave and the truck's driver ended up in a movielike bashing match - slamming into each other while speeding down the freeway at speeds as fast as 90 mph.But for some reason, the squad car was totaled and the truck got away with hardly any damage. Gleave has no idea how that happened.
"I have no clue," he said. "My car was totaled. It wouldn't go anymore. Clinton (police) chased him going 125 mph. I don't know how he did that, either."
Deputies were watching for the man after he eluded Clinton police earlier. Officers there wanted to question him after a report on an assault of a family member. The man was weaving in and out of traffic at about 90 mph on Gentile Road in Layton when deputies spotted him.
"Because of the danger he was causing to the public, we decided to stop him," Gleave said.
Deputies began chasing him and he led them onto southbound I-15. After he wrecked Gleave's car, another deputy slammed into the truck. The impact turned the truck around and the man began heading north - even though he was still in the freeway's southbound lanes.
"Cars were swerving to avoid him," Gleave said.
The driver got off the freeway, ditched the truck in Layton and fled on foot. Deputies eventually caught up to him and took him into custody.
The man was booked into the Davis County Jail for the investigation of aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault and driving under the influence of drugs.
"He was acting like he was on something," Gleave said. "We drew blood to see."