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Show Shotgun blast narrowly misses trooper By GARY R. BLODGETT CLEARFIELD A Davis County trooper for the Utah Highway High-way Patrol was injured and his patrol pat-rol car disabled by shotgun blasts from a fleeing vehicle early Mon-. Mon-. day morning. Injured in the shooting was Trooper John T. Mitchell. He suffered suf-fered lacerations to the arms, face, and upper body from flying glass and debris, according to Lt. Gary Gunrud, UHP commander for Davis County. He said Trooper Mitchell was treated and released from Humana Hospital Davis North. Trooper Mitchell's patrol car was struck in the front tire, radiator, hood, windshield and overhead emergency lights by several sev-eral blasts from a passenger in the fleeing vehicle, Lt. Gunrud reported. re-ported. He said that Trooper Mitchell was unable to return gunfire fol lowing the quick series of shotgun blasts. Lt. Gunrud said the incident began be-gan about 1:30 a.m. Monday when Trooper Mitchell, on routine patrol on State Highway 193, Clearfield, observed a red compact car run a O CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 '"" s"- J . " " !. i ' ' T fmmMM AM:mA: Shotgun pellets blasted windshield of Utah Highway Patrol vehicle driven by Trooper John T.Mitchell during arrest attempt when suspect car fled from the patrolman after a stop sign violation. Trooper Mitchell was only slightly hurt. Shots narrowly miss Mitchell CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Q stop sign on Fairfield Road. Upon approaching the vehicle for a routine stop, the suspect car took off at a high rate of speed and turned west on Love Lane to Fort Lane Boulevard. The suspect car then fled south on Fort Lane. Shortly after turning onto Fort Lane, a passenger in the suspect car opened fire at close range with a quick series of shotgun blasts slightly injuring Trooper Mitchell and disabling his patrol car. "Thinking the suspect car may return and try to 'finish off the trooper, Mitchell grabbed his shotgun shot-gun and hid behind the front wheel of his vehicle," said Lt. Gunrud. "After a reasonable time, he called for medical assistance and was treated tre-ated at the scene before being taken to the nearby hospital." Investigation of the shooting is being conducted jointly by the Layton Police Department, Davis County Sheriffs Department, and Utah Highway Patrol. Lt. Gunrud said the suspect is reported to be a red, late-model Toyota Celica. Anyone who may have information about the suspect car is urged to call one of the investigating inves-tigating agencies as soon as posr sible. |