Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- William Cooke Barlow was arrested after a high-speed chase in southern Utah.
- Barlow faces multiple charges, including assaulting police officers and reckless driving.
- A Taser was used to subdue Barlow after he allegedly punched a deputy.
HURRICANE — An Arizona man is facing numerous charges accusing him of recklessly driving over 100 mph in southern Utah, nearly hitting a police officer in the process and later punching a police officer in the face as he was being arrested.
William Cooke Barlow, 28, of Cane Beds, Arizona, next to Colorado City, was charged Wednesday in 5th District Court with seven counts of assault on a police officer, six second-degree felonies and a class A misdemeanor; two counts of failing to stop for police, a third-degree felony and class A misdemeanor; reckless driving with a road rage penalty enhancement, a class A misdemeanor; and drug possession, interfering with an arrest, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident, class B misdemeanors.
The incident began about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when 911 dispatchers received multiple calls about a truck that had been running vehicles off the roadway on I-15.
The Utah Highway Patrol spotted the vehicle exiting the freeway near Hurricane. A trooper positioned near 5300 W. State Street in Hurricane saw the truck pass him and other vehicles in the median, according to charging documents.
"The vehicle evaded me, traveling east on state Route 9, accelerating away from my patrol truck, exceeding speeds over 100 mph and crossing into oncoming traffic," the trooper noted in charging documents.
The truck later turned around and "swerved directly" in front of the trooper, causing him to move out of the way at the last second to avoid a collision, the charges state.
The chase continued along state Route 59 toward Gould Wash Road, where officers lost sight of the truck after it went down a dirt road. Police surrounded the area and spotted Barlow walking on Three Points Road about 8 p.m., according to the charges.
"I asked the man who he was, and he advised me his name was William Barlow. I informed William to stop walking and show me his hands. William did not obey lawful commands to stop, and continued walking east," the charges say.
Additional law enforcers from the Washington County Sheriff's Office arrived to help arrest Barlow, who hit one of the deputies in the mouth with a closed fist, according to the charges. A Taser was then deployed to bring Barlow into custody.
