Naked Wrong Way Driver Utah: Wild I-80 Pursuit Ends in Poop-Throwing Chaos
Naked Wrong Way Driver Utah: Wild I-80 Pursuit Ends in Poop-Throwing Chaos
While Southern Utah drivers occasionally complain about orange cones or slow traffic on Bluff Street, Northern Utah drivers recently experienced a freeway ordeal on a completely different level.
Police arrested a 35-year-old woman after a wild pursuit along Interstate 80 where she allegedly drove completely naked, threw a fire extinguisher at state troopers, drove into oncoming traffic, and threw fecal matter at law enforcement officers while in custody.
A wild incident involving a naked wrong way driver Utah troopers brought down in Tooele County makes local Southern Utah commutes look like a walk in the park.
A 70-Mile Pursuit: Fire Extinguishers and Wrong-Way Chaos
The highway mayhem began around 4:25 p.m. on August 12, when Tooele County dispatchers fielded reports of extreme road rage along eastbound I-80 near mile marker 8. Callers reported a driver chucking a beer bottle at a semi-truck and trying to run another car off the road.
When a Utah Highway Patrol trooper attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 36, the driver refused to stop, making obscene hand gestures and screaming out her window.
As troopers gave chase across several dozen miles, the pursuit escalated quickly:
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Wild Speeds: The vehicle fluctuated between 60 mph and 90 mph while swerving across multiple lanes.
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Flying Objects: The driver tossed heavy items out of her window at pursuing patrol units, including a fire extinguisher, car headrests, cardboard boxes, and trash, damaging a patrol car.
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Wrong-Way Driving: Near mile marker 71, she crossed the median and drove eastbound in the westbound lanes, narrowly missing oncoming traffic.
State troopers finally executed a PIT maneuver at mile marker 81 to stop the vehicle before someone was killed.
Naked, Boot-Legged, and Throwing Fecal Matter in Custody
Upon opening the car door, troopers discovered driver Sarah Rachael Valdez was completely naked, wearing only a utility belt with pouches and a pair of black boots. When asked why she had no clothes on, she claimed she was hot, despite temperate weather.
Valdez exhibited severe paranoia, telling officers that terrorists were trying to kill her. Once loaded into the back of a police cruiser, she tore foam out of the seats and ripped out the in-car camera wiring.
Things escalated further after she was transported to the Tooele UHP office and Tooele County Detention Center:
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Kicking Officers: She kicked officers trying to help her out of the vehicle, causing scrapes and abrasions.
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Hidden Weapon: Jail staff found a seatbelt cutter concealed inside her boot.
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Throat Grabbing and Throwing Poop: While in a holding cell, Valdez reached through the door bars and grabbed an officer by the throat. When the officer broke her grip, she began throwing fecal matter directly at officers.
Facing a Mountain of Charges
Valdez is currently being held without bail at the Tooele County Detention Center. She faces a long list of severe criminal charges:
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Propelling a bodily substance (throwing fecal matter)
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Possessing a weapon as a detainee
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Assault on a peace officer and prisoner assault
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Driving under the influence and reckless endangerment
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Failing to respond to an officer’s command
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Damaging a jail or place of confinement
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Possession of a controlled substance
All charges are allegations. The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The next time you are stuck in traffic on I-15 or waiting through extra light cycles in St. George, count your blessings: at least nobody is throwing fire extinguishers or flying poop at your windshield.
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