A man was killed on Wednesday during a high speed pursuit he initiated with the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
On Wednesday, Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers stopped a 2021 Chrysler van on Interstate 80 near Green River for a traffic infraction.
During the stop, the driver, who was standing outside, attempted to jump back into the van and drive away after speaking with the troopers for a short time.
Troopers attempted to stop him, but were unsuccessful. They pursued the vehicle as the driver fled east on I-80 headed toward Rock Springs.
The pursuit reached speeds of over 120 miles per hour. Law enforcement successfully deployed spike strips on the interstate to deflate the vehicle’s tires.
The driver continued to evade troopers, but collided with the back of a belly dump combination commercial vehicle at a high rate of speed after exiting the interstate at an exit ramp.
The driver was killed due to injuries sustained in the crash, although the commercial vehicle driver was unharmed. Troopers found approximately 83 pounds of suspected marijuana in the vehicle.
The driver’s identification is being withheld until their next of kin is notified, the WHP noted in a release.
The investigation is ongoing.
