BRIGHAM CITY -- The Ogden man arrested in last month's three-county, high-speed chase has been formally charged in one county so far.
Chris R. Macfarlane, 56, was arraigned Monday in 1st District Court on five charges from the July 20 incident. Police say events covered 50 miles, reached 100 mph and began just before 1 p.m. as Macfarlane sped northbound past Mantua Police Chief Jim Jones as Jones was clocking traffic with a radar gun.
The chase then proceeded north to Wellsville in Cache County before Macfarlane turned around to resume in a southerly direction before he was finally stopped on Ogden's 12th Street.
Macfarlane allegedly drove southbound in the northbound lanes of I-15 for nine miles between Willard and Pleasant View at 90 mph.
He is charged with drunken driving and evading police, both third-degree felonies, and misdemeanor counts of crossing a highway divider, reckless driving, and speeding at 100 mph in a 75 mph zone.
Macfarlane's preliminary hearing was scheduled for Aug. 31.
Box Elder officials are contemplating forwarding the case to Cache and Weber county authorities, Chief Jones said Tuesday.
"If it's referred to us, we'd review the facts of the case and analyze it legally and decide in which county it's logical to prosecute," said Weber County Attorney Dee Smith.
Jones said a records check shows the July 20 arrest was Macfarlane's seventh DUI. "I was amazed to see this guy had insurance."
Macfarlane has a DUI charge pending in Ogden's Justice Court from a July 9 incident. Jones said that was Macfarlane's sixth.
Several motorists have called in with reports of damage to their vehicles in the July 20 incident, but Jones said it's not likely a firm figure will ever be reached as to the number of vehicles Macfarlane ran off the road that day.
"It's hard to say how many would have gone off the roadbed to avoid him, sat there for a few minutes, gathered their composure and drove on," he said.
In addition to Jones, the Utah Highway Patrol, Brigham City Police Department, Perry Police Department, Weber County Sheriff's Office and Willard Police Department were all involved in the chase.
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