SLCPD arrest man for nearly hitting officers with vehicle while fleeing traffic stop

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A Midvale man has been arrested after almost hitting officers with his vehicle while fleeing during a traffic stop. The Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) says he was driving on a suspended license when they stopped him.

Austin Jeffery Giles, 24, has been charged with felony assault on a peace officer with the use of a dangerous weapon, felony failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop, and misdemeanor driving on a suspended or revoked license.

According to police, detectives with SLCPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) conducted a traffic stop on March 28, 2025. During the stop, they discovered that the driver, Giles, was driving on a suspended license.

Detectives ordered Giles to exit the vehicle, and he complied. According to documents, Giles appeared to be “nervous while speaking.” Officers told Giles that they would be performing a frisk, and upon hearing this, he jumped back into the vehicle and attempted to drive away.

A female passenger put the vehicle back in park and told him to stop while Giles tried to drive away. Detectives tried to remove Giles from the vehicle, but he eventually succeeded in speeding away.

According to a press release from SLCPD, he is “accused of placing officers directly in the path of the moving car, creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury.” One officer was almost hit with the vehicle’s door, and another nearly had his foot run over while he accelerated away.

Court documents note that Giles is a known gang member and has a history of possessing weapons. He also reportedly refused to comply with a blood draw after a search warrant was obtained.

On May 23, 2025, VCAT detectives located Giles, and he was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail. He is currently being held without bail.