CEDAR CITY — Officers shot and critically injured a man during a police chase Sunday night that started with a knife attack.
Cedar City police received a report about 8 p.m. that a man had assaulted another man with a knife. Before officers arrived at the scene, they learned that Larry Joseph Lee Tessier, 36, had fled in a vehicle, according to a statement from Iron County Sheriff’s Lt. Del Schlosser.
Cedar City police located Tessier and began pursuing him. “Tessier drove recklessly on the roadways and was a danger to the motoring public,” Schlosser’s statement says.
Officers, with the help of Enoch police and Iron County sheriff’s deputies, spiked Tessier’s tires but said he continued to flee. The officers performed at least two PIT maneuvers to force the car to turn sideways, but the tactic didn’t work, according to Schlosser.
“Preliminary investigation suggests Tessier’s vehicle made contact with a law enforcement vehicle as he attempted again to flee. At some point during this engagement, four law enforcement officers discharged their weapons,” the statement says.
Tessier was hit several times. Officers began treating him at the scene and he was transported to Cedar City Hospital, then later flown to St. George Regional Hospital in critical condition.
No other details were provided about the shooting or the assault, except Schlosser said a 39-year-old man was injured with the knife.
The four officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative leave, per policy. The shooting is being investigated by the Critical Incident Task Force for Iron, Garfield and Beaver counties.
Tessier is scheduled to appear in court next month to face charges of aggravated burglary, DUI, assault and criminal mischief. In March, Tessier went to a Cedar City house and was pounding on the garage door, then forced the door open and assaulted a man in the garage, according to charging documents.
Officers located Tessier after he drove away. An officer said he had a strong odor of alcohol and admitted to having two shots of vodka 30 minutes before he was stopped, a police affidavit states. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.