SALT LAKE CITY — A woman was arrested Wednesday after leading Utah Highway Patrol troopers on a 20-minute chase on I-15.
The chase started about 12:50 p.m. on I-15 near 12300 South when a trooper traveling in the HOV lane was passed on the left in the emergency lane by a woman, according to a statement from the Utah Highway Patrol.
The driver, Lisa Anne Bluth, 44, was arrested for investigation of fleeing and a series of traffic violations in a bizarre incident. She identified herself to police as Lisa Sovereen.
Bluth refused to pull over as speeds reached about 80 mph. As she was fleeing from the trooper, she called 911 and asked emergency dispatchers "that the trooper get off her back, and then hung up," said UHP Cpl. Todd Johnson.
Dispatchers made several attempts to call Bluth back, he said.
In her original 911 call, Bluth told dispatchers she believed the trooper was going to ram her car. When a UHP representative called back, she insisted she wasn't required to pull over and accused police of stealing a previous vehicle from her and taking her blood.
Bluth told the UHP representative several times "you're all dead" and "the troopers are dead," but she hung up when asked if she had any weapons.
Troopers set up tire spikes near 8000 South, but Bluth was able to avoid them. Spikes also were set up near 7200 South, and they punctured one of her tires, according to the UHP.
The chase ended about 20 minutes later when Bluth got off at the 600 North off-ramp and was boxed in by troopers. While being taken into custody, she stated that "she did not stop because she was a sovereign citizen and (police) had no authority to stop her," according to the UHP.
Bluth already has a pending case in 3rd District Court for aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, according to court records. She allegedly put her arm around another woman's neck and pushed her down a flight of stairs, breaking the woman's pelvis, charging documents state.
Bluth has a lengthy criminal, history including several arrests in 2012, court records indicate.
Contributing: McKenzie Romero
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