Utah Teen Arrested After Hitting 158 MPH on I-15, Posting Fleeing Video to Social Media
A 19-year-old Utah man is facing multiple criminal charges after Utah Highway Patrol says he fled from a trooper on a motorcycle at speeds exceeding 150 mph on Interstate 15 — and then posted video evidence of the incident to social media.
Spencer Riley Clawson was booked into the Davis County Jail without bail following an investigation into the April 18 incident near Centerville, Utah. He faces charges including failure to respond to a police command, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, failure to remove a public nuisance, operating without vehicle registration, driving without insurance, and operating a motorcycle without the required endorsement.
Officer Lost Sight of Motorcycle Within Seconds
According to court documents, a UHP trooper clocked the motorcyclist at roughly 100 mph on southbound I-15 near Parrish Lane before observing an unsignaled lane change. When the trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the rider accelerated to approximately 120 mph, and the officer lost visual contact within moments.
The investigation took a significant turn when authorities located a social media account containing footage that appeared to document the incident. In the video, the rider can be seen waving at the patrol vehicle before gunning the throttle as the stop was attempted. The on-screen speedometer — visible throughout the clip — showed 75 mph while alongside the trooper, climbing to 158 mph before the video ended.
Social Media Account Led Investigators to Suspect
Law enforcement used the social media profile to identify and locate Clawson. Investigators determined the motorcycle carried no valid registration and lacked insurance coverage, and that Clawson did not hold a motorcycle endorsement on his license — a required certification in Utah for operating a two-wheeled vehicle on public roads.
The combination of extreme speed, active evasion of law enforcement, and the posting of the video online drew heightened attention to the case. Clawson is currently held without bail.
Public safety incidents like this one serve as a reminder of the dangers high-speed pursuits pose not only to the individuals involved but to other motorists sharing busy interstate corridors. I-15 runs through the heart of the Intermountain West, connecting communities from Southern Idaho through Salt Lake City and beyond. Reckless driving incidents on the corridor are of regional concern for Idaho travelers as well — those heading south from the Idaho Falls area toward Salt Lake City regularly travel this same stretch of freeway.
For readers tracking public safety and infrastructure news across the region, a separate story covers a water rights agreement between junior and senior users on the Big and Little Lost Basins that has significant implications for Eastern Idaho. And for those planning outdoor excursions this season, officials have issued warnings following a bear encounter near the Mystic Falls Trail in Yellowstone that left two people injured.
What Comes Next
Clawson faces prosecution on seven separate charges in Davis County. As with all criminal cases, the charges are allegations, and Clawson is presumed innocent unless convicted beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. His case is expected to proceed through the Utah court system in the coming months. No trial date has been publicly announced.