SALT LAKE CITY — Officials have identified a man recently shot and killed by police officers during a confrontation in Emery County.
Mark Stoddard, 41, of Huntington, was involved in a vehicle chase Dec. 21 with Emery County sheriff’s deputies and the Utah Highway Patrol after dispatchers received a call about a suspected drunken driver, said the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the shooting.
The office said it withheld releasing the man’s name or any additional details about the shooting until after Christmas.
When a deputy pulled the vehicle over, the Utah Highway Patrol said Stoddard got out of the vehicle and pointed a handgun toward the deputy. He then got in his vehicle and sped off, according to authorities.
That action spurred a pursuit involving Emery County deputies and the Utah Highway Patrol. Spike strips were deployed to stop the fleeing vehicle, culminating in a confrontation on state Route 31 between Huntington and Maple Creek, authorities said.
Once his vehicle was disabled, Stoddard allegedly got out and once again pointed his weapon at officers. A trooper and a deputy fired their weapons, striking the man, authorities said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, Stoddard was pronounced dead a short time later.
“Carbon County detectives are actively investigating all aspects of this incident and will allow more details to be provided as they are confirmed,” the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office said Monday in a statement.