Utah man accused of ramming patrol cars, including one driven by sheriff

MANILA, Dagget County — A northern Utah man is accused of ramming two occupied police patrol cars — including one being driven by the sheriff — and assaulting two other deputies after being arrested, all while trying to flee from a domestic violence investigation.

Victor John Ezell, 24, of Manila, was charged Tuesday in 8th District Court with two counts of assault on an officer, a second-degree felony; failing to stop for police and two counts of assault by a prisoner, third-degree felonies; and two counts of assault, a class B misdemeanor.

On Friday, just before 9 p.m., Daggett County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of domestic violence at a Manila residence. When the first deputies arrived, Ezell ran, according to a police booking affidavit.

"Victor then came back in his car. Sheriff (Erik) Bailey was in his patrol vehicle and Victor rammed Sheriff Bailey's patrol vehicle on the driver's side," the affidavit states.

Two other deputies chased Ezell as he drove off, and one attempted to disable Ezell's vehicle by performing a PIT maneuver, "which then turned Victor's vehicle to face mine. Victor then rammed my patrol vehicle head-on disabling both vehicles," the arresting deputy wrote in the affidavit.

After arresting Ezell and placing him in the back of a patrol car, police say he continued to fight back and injured the hand of one deputy and the arm of a second, according to the affidavit.

Inside the home, deputies found two victims. One person had a cut above the eye caused when Ezell "threw (the victim) to the ground and then turned on (the victim) and started hitting and holding (the victim) in a chokehold," the affidavit states.

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