Motorcyclist evades Utah police, dies in fatal crash
By David Crouse
Investigators have identified the victim of a motorcycle crash in Arizona as Joseph Gary Scelza, the individual who was involved in two police pursuits with Washington County agencies on March 2. During both pursuits, the agencies involved elected to discontinue their pursuit after evaluating the risk to the public and those involved in the pursuits.
Prior to the pursuits, Washington City Police were dispatched on a report of a white male suspect who was attempting to steal items from the Zion Harley Davidson Dealership. The suspect was described as leaving the scene on a purple Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Shortly after, officers with the Hurricane Police Department located the suspect at the Hurricane Walmart. When officers attempted to make contact, the suspect fled on the motorcycle, nearly striking one of the officers. Officers from the Hurricane and Washington City Police Departments pursued the motorcycle northbound on Old Highway 91. Speeds were reported at 100 mph with rainy conditions. Officers terminated their pursuit efforts near the town of Leeds.
Around 4:16 p.m., a citizen contacted dispatch reporting the motorcycle was then spotted heading southbound on Interstate 15. Near milepost 13, Washington City Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the motorcycle. Washington County Deputies continued to pursue the vehicle as it exited Washington City.
As the pursuit began, the rider was reported to have attained speeds of approximately 115 mph while weaving in and out of traffic. Deputies continued to pursue through light traffic as the rider slowed to around 80 mph. The rider then began to recklessly decrease and increase his speed during the pursuit. The rider also began to throw items at the pursuing officers, including a backpack and the helmet he was wearing.
Arizona and Nevada Law Enforcement were advised of the pursuit entering their area as deputies pursued into the Virgin River Gorge. The rider began to ride more aggressively, taunting the pursuing officers with hand gestures and at one point riding a wheelie through the pursuit. Based on the weather conditions and the rider’s behavior, the pursuit was deemed too dangerous to continue. Deputies reported they had discontinued their pursuit efforts.
On March 6, the Arizona Department of Public Safety was advised of a motorcycle accident in the Virgin River Gorge. Assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue was requested in the recovery of the victim’s remains. During the course of the investigation, investigators thought the victim was possibly the individual involved in the police pursuit on the prior Saturday. Following an autopsy and notification of next of kin, the deceased victim was confirmed to be Joseph Gary Scelza, the individual sought in the Washington County criminal investigations and police pursuits.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office administration has reviewed the video footage of the pursuit which entered the Virgin River Gorge. The review determined the deputies had terminated their pursuit of the suspect approximately 0.6 miles prior to him being involved in the traffic collision. Deputies had also received an inaccurate report of the rider reaching the Nevada line but turning back northbound after seeing Nevada authorities waiting, giving them no reason to suspect a traffic collision had occurred.
The collision took place on a bend in the roadway outside of the deputy’s field of vision. This information was only detected by searching dashcam footage for accident investigation markings, which were provided by Arizona Department of Public Safety investigators. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is still conducting its investigation into the accident.
Lieutenant David Crouse is a public information officer for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
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They chased him off a cliff is what happened. They stopped because they knew it. Was potential shoplifting worth killing the man? If he wasn’t white this would be called a racist hate crime. They knew he was an ex con so they didn’t care if he lived or died.