Man faces felony charges for the incident that led UHP trooper to fall from overpass
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A Utah Highway Patrol trooper’s life was put in danger when he fell from an overpass earlier this week. The man he was attempting to stop is now being charged.
Samuel Michael Swickey is charged with two counts of third-degree felony failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop, one count of class B misdemeanor use or possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of class C misdemeanor driving on a denied license, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office said.
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On Feb. 13, Swickey was allegedly seen with drug paraphernalia in his mouth while driving his vehicle. A Salt Lake City police officer tried to conduct a traffic stop near 160 North 1000 West, but Swickey quickly drove away, charging documents state.
Later, another officer tried to conduct a traffic stop on him near I-80 on 7200 West, but Swickey allegedly accelerated toward the officer’s vehicle and sideswiped it as he escaped “at a high rate of speed.”
The Utah Department of Public Safety‘s helicopter began tracking him, and they found him at a motel near Amelia Earhart Drive, charging documents state.
Before being taken into custody, however, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Steve Myer attempted to disable Swickey’s vehicle by deploying spike strips on a bridge that was more than 30 feet high. After Swickey avoided the spike strips, Myer lost his balance and fell off the bridge. The trooper sustained serious injuries as a result of the fall and is currently hospitalized, charging documents state.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said multiple law enforcement officers’ lives were put in danger while trying to take Swickey into custody.
“I think it is important to recognize that whenever you have somebody who flees, there is a concern for public safety,” he said.
He continued to say authorities put their lives at risk in order to “safeguard our community.”
“We are grateful that we have men and women in law enforcement who are willing to put themselves in danger to help protect the Salt Lake County community,” Gill said. “Our hearts go out to the loved ones and colleagues of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Myer, who fell from the overpass while trying to ensure the safety of his fellow citizens.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for UHP Trooper Myer.
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