Trooper not charged after Tasing man who then fell to his death from I-15 overpass

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A Utah Highway Patrol trooper will not be charged in the death of Anthony James Valdez after the trooper Tased Valdez, who then fell 21 feet to his death from an I-15 overpass in October 2024.

A pedestrian — identified as Anthony James Valdez, 46, of Bluffdale — fell approximately 21 feet from an I-15 overpass and died after being Tased by a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, according to the Department of Public Safety. Valdez was fleeing from authorities and jumped over a cement barrier before the stun gun was used. Officials said life-saving measures were attempted but Valdez was pronounced dead at the scene.

UHP troopers received reports of a man running on I-15 — going in and out of traffic intermittently for about 40 minutes — near 600 North just after 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13. Troopers located Valdez an hour later in the northbound lanes of the freeway.

Valdez allegedly fled from authorities as troopers slowed traffic to prevent him from being hit or causing a crash. Officials said Valdez ran toward the 600 North off-ramp where he jumped a cement barrier and continued to flee from authorities. A trooper then used a Taser to “keep him from going back into the roadway” and Valdez fell from the overpass, landing 30 feet below in a residence’s yard.

DPS officials said life-saving measures were attempted but Valdez was pronounced dead on scene.

“I just want to commend [the trooper’s] decision to speak with the investigative officers and sharing of the context of what happened,” said Sim Gill, Salt Lake County District Attorney. “That helps us flesh out the factual scenario much more robustly.”

Gill noted that the trooper gave all of his statements without reviewing his body-worn camera, “which is a very important thing from [Gill’s] perspective, because it allows [investigators] to really focus in on his impressions of what happened,” Gill said.

The medical examiner determined that Valdez died from blunt-force trauma. The trooper’s use of force was determined to be legally justified.

Gill reportedly met with Valdez’s family before the press conference.

No further information is available at this time.