Michael Jayne is an accused killer who has been charged with the murder of Santaquin police officer Bill Hooser
According to police reports authorities received a report that someone was standing on the back of a semi truck trailer as it traveled down the road.
Santaquin police officer Sgt Bill Hooser and another officer would go to the scene, That is when Michael Jayne would pull a U-Turn and strike Bill Hooser who would die from his injuries
Michael Jayne would run from the scene, steal a truck and take off
After a manhunt Michael Jayne would be arrested and has been charged with the Officers murder
Michael Jayne News
A Santaquin police officer who died after he was hit by a suspect in a semi-truck on I-15 has been identified as Sgt. Bill Hooser.
A GoFundMe — which was shared and confirmed by Utah Sen. Mike McKell — has been established to raise funds for Hooser’s family.
According to the fundraiser, Hooser left behind a wife and two daughters, two son in laws and his new granddaughter
Hooser was killed on Sunday morning after officials were informed of someone standing on the back of a semi trailer as it was traveling northbound on I-15 in Santaquin.
Hooser and a Utah Highway Patrol trooper reported finding the semi just before 6:30 a.m.
While conducting a traffic stop, officials said the suspect — later identified as 42-year-old Michael Aaron Jayne — turned around the wrong way, striking Hooser and both patrol vehicles.
He fled on foot before allegedly stealing a white Ford truck. Jayne crashed the truck during a pursuit in the Vernal area and was taken into custody.
A family who lived in the area said they watched officers capture Jayne along Highway 191.
“How could he do that? How could you know that you caused harm to somebody and just leave the scene and not even stay or care what happened to him?” said Jana Fitzgerald, who witnessed the arrest.
A shelter-in-place was issued for several cities while the manhunt for Jayne ensued.
That’s where Fitzgerald and her family witnessed Jayne’s arrest.
“All of a sudden, we see dirt, and I was like, ‘what is that?’ We saw black marks going across the road down into a ravine. The cops were running across the road,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald explained that police flocked to the ravine to arrest Jayne.
“You could see the cops with the batons trying to break out the window on the passenger side because they couldn’t get him out,” she said.
The Fitzgerald family expressed that this tragic incident will have a profound impact on their community.
“The family is going to have to pay for it for the rest of their lives. Not having a father or a husband around,” said Brett Fitzgerald, another eyewitness to the arrest. “Someone was hurt today; somebody died because somebody was careless.”
Michael Jayne More News
A semi-truck driver suspected of hitting and killing a Utah police officer on Interstate 15 early Sunday morning has been apprehended after fleeing over 150 miles away.
Officials said a call was received by the Utah Highway Patrol at around 6 a.m. of someone standing on the back of a semi-truck in Santaquin, Utah — about 65 miles south of Salt Lake City. A Santaquin police officer and UHP trooper located the truck 30 minutes later and performed a traffic stop.
During the traffic stop, the suspect, identified as Michael Jayne, fled the scene in the truck and headed northbound before turning around and driving the wrong way. The truck hit the Santaquin officer, his car and the trooper’s vehicle.
The police officer was declared dead at the scene after being struck, while Jayne fled the area on foot.
The name of the officer has not yet been released.
A “Blue Alert” was issued for Jayne, 42, who was believed to have stolen a Ford F150, and possibly other vehicles. “Blue Alerts” are issued whenever a law enforcement officer is injured or killed.
Jayne was later taken into custody outside of Vernal, Utah.