Officer almost run over at Kilgore open pit

Saratoga Springs police are looking for the two men they saw trespassing in an open construction pit, one of whom reportedly almost hit an officer with a truck.

On May 24, Saratoga Springs police received a call about 11:13 p.m. concerning a suspicious vehicle trespassing at the Kilgore pit near The Point of the Mountain in Bluffdale. Saratoga Springs police contract to cover Bluffdale as well.

When the officers arrived, they saw what appeared to be flashlights on the east side of the pit, according to a news release.

The officers went over and saw two men, both about 25 years old, near a large piece of industrial equipment. The men ran to a truck when they saw the patrol car headlights, according to the release.

One of the officers got out and approached the truck, telling the men that he was a policeman and commanding them to stop.

The men hopped into the truck anyway — and as the officer kept closing in and issuing commands, the driver started the engine and spun 180 degrees around the officer, nearly hitting him, according to the release.

The officer stepped toward the front of the truck, still trying to get the driver to stop, but the driver accelerated toward him, the release adds.

"The officer stated he had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle," the release reads. The officers got back into their vehicles and chased the truck, which eluded the police through a sand pit, the release adds.

The police encourage anyone with information leading to the identification of the truck and the men to call them at 801-766-6503.

Police describe the driver as about 170 to 180 pounds, with dirty blonde hair and scruffy facial hair. He was seen wearing long pants and a gray, hooded sweatshirt.

The passenger was also about 170 pounds and had dark brown hair and a beard. He was wearing long pants and a black or dark-colored, hooded sweatshirt.

Their vehicle was a white four-door Chevrolet flat-bed truck, estimated to be a 1995 to 1999 make. The officers thought they saw a temporary tag registration and no license plate.

mmcfall@sltrib.com

Twitter: @mikeypanda