DUI Suspect Apprehended Following Single-Vehicle Crash

| by Travis Uresk | July 13^th 2026 |

Uintah County (7/10/26)—Deputy Elmer was dispatched to 143 S 7500 E to investigate a traffic accident involving a single vehicle that had gone off the road and into a ditch.

On the way, the deputy learned that three individuals were involved. Two were identified as tribal members, while the third, 20-year-old Jacob Zachary Lawson, was confirmed to be non-tribal and was the driver in the incident.

Upon arrival, Deputy Elmer spoke with everyone at the scene and observed that they had glossy eyes and a noticeable smell of alcohol on them.

The police collected their details and checked all three individuals through the state system. It was revealed that they were all under 21 years old and that Jacob did not hold a valid driver’s license. He was confirmed as the driver when the vehicle went into the ditch.

Jacob was asked to perform field sobriety tests to assess his ability to drive safely. The results indicated that he was not fit to operate a vehicle, leading to his arrest for driving under the influence. In addition, he faced charges for operating a vehicle without a license after failing to complete the driver's license application process.

Jacob was taken to Uintah County Jail, where he consented to provide a breath sample for the intoxilyzer, resulting in a positive reading of 0.120 Brac. Following this, he was released into the custody of the jail staff, with no further actions taken.