A truck driver is accused of killing a Utah police officer by hitting him

SANTAQUIN, Utah (AP) — A truck driver allegedly killed a police officer by driving his truck into the officer during a traffic stop on a Utah highway Sunday, police said.

A Santaquin police officer and a Utah Highway Patrol trooper had stopped the tractor-trailer around 6:30 a.m. after someone called 911 to report a person standing in the back of the tractor-trailer, which was traveling north on Interstate 15 drove.

Spanish Fork police said the man drove off during the stop, then flipped the semi-trailer around before driving the wrong way on the highway. The vehicle crashed into two police cars and the Santaquin officer, who died at the scene.

Police identified the truck driver as Michael Aaron Jayne, 41. He has not yet been taken to prison and does not have an attorney to comment on his behalf, police said.

Authorities have not released the name of the dead officer.

“Our entire department is injured. And the officer’s family is hurt by a senseless act by an individual,” said Lt. Cory Slaymaker of the Spanish Fork Police during a press conference.

The stop occurred on I-15 in Santaquin, a city of about 14,000 residents 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

Authorities allege Jayne fled on foot and stole vehicles, including a pickup truck. Police said he was arrested later Sunday after a short chase in the Vernal area, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) east of Santaquin.

Who was sitting in the bed of the semi-trailer and why is still under investigation, said Slaymaker.