A traffic stop turns into a Deputy and a male with a warrant wrestling in the middle of the road

By Travis Uresk

7/28/23

Vernal, Ut.- On 7/19/23, Deputy Russell saw a vehicle traveling South on 3500 West. The Deputy ran his information through dispatch and was notified the driver had a warrant through Uintah County Justice Court for speeding.

The Deputy turned around to follow the motorcycle and caught up to him at 3500 West and 500 North just before he turned onto 500 North. A traffic stop was conducted, and the Deputy exited his vehicle and addressed the man, identified as 42-year-old Kenneth Allen Carter.

Kenneth Allen Carter

Kenneth immediately began to ask why he was being pulled over. Deputy Russell told Kenneth that he had a warrant, and Kenneth stated, "Really, for what?"

Carter began arguing with the Deputy about his accident and told the court about it, and he had a court date set up.

It was explained to Kenneth that the Deputy had no way of checking the information he was telling him about. Kenneth became very agitated when the Deputy informed him that he was going to arrest him.

Kenneth was ordered to step off his motorcycle and place his hands behind his back. He stepped off the bike and placed his hands behind his back, and said, "You're a fucking dick, dude."

Deputy Russell grabbed Kenneth's hands to gain control before handcuffing him. As the Deputy went to grab his handcuffs, Kenneth pulled his left shoulder and hand away from the Deputy's grip and turned around to face the Deputy.

Deputy Russell stated he has had several interactions with Kenneth where he gets very aggressive and confrontational. He is agitated and combative when he is in jail after being arrested.

The Deputy went into a hands-on approach to regain control of Kenneth's hand. He grabbed Kenneth's right arm with both his hands and attempted to turn him around out of the way of traffic. In the attempt to regain control, Kenneth fell into his motorcycle, and the Deputy was able to take Kenneth to the ground using his right arm and the back of his neck.

They were both on the ground but now in the middle of the Westbound lane of travel.

About 15 feet behind them, a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road to avoid hitting Kenneth and the Deputy. Deputy Russell gained control, ordered Kenneth onto his stomach, and handcuffed him. While trying to handcuff Kenneth, two males approached and asked if they could help the Deputy. They both stepped in and helped the Deputy put the handcuffs on Kenneth.

Once Kenneth was handcuffed, he was rolled onto his side to assist him to his feet, where he struggled and yelled. Kenneth was told to lie on his stomach until his backup arrived to assist the Deputy. Sgt. Watkins and Deputy Ouderkirk arrived, and they both began controlling Kenneth and conducting a search of his person.

Kenneth was helped to his feet, where he started pulling, resisting, and yelling again. Kenneth was given another order to stop resisting and yelling while the Deputies conducted a search. They escorted Kenneth to the front of Sgt. Watkins' patrol vehicle, where they regained control and conducted a thorough search of Kenneth.

Kenneth was placed into Sgt. Watkins' patrol vehicle and transported to the Uintah Basin Healthcare to be medically cleared because of the allegations of his head damage during the altercation. Kenneth was medically cleared and transported to the Uintah County Jail, where he was booked for his warrant and new charges.

The new charges are as follows:

USC Reckless Endangerment MA 76-5-112 X2. One charge due to the actions of Kenneth leading the altercation into the roadway, endangering himself and I.

A second charge for the occupants of the vehicles that were stopped in the highway and the evasive maneuvers that they had to make to avoid collision.

USC MB 76-8-305 Resisting arrest because when I informed Kenneth that I was going to take him to jail and attempted to place him in handcuffs, he began actively resisting.

USC MC 76-9-102 Disorderly Conduct, along with Kenneth being told to stop yelling while we were conducting a search of his person, I was informed that he could be heard

from several vehicles back, yelling at me during our interaction.

USC MC 41-12a-302 Operating a vehicle without insurance. After being informed through spillman that Kenneth's motorcycle that he was operating at the time of the stop was not insured.

USC IN 53-3-202 Operating a vehicle without endorsement I was informed through Spillman that Kenneth did not have a motorcycle endorsement at the time of the stop.