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Man Blames High-Speed Police Chase on Upset Stomach

By Betty Wang, JD on October 10, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Nobody likes an upset stomach. For some, it may mean a sick day, less productivity, general discomfort in your abdomen area, but for others...a high-speed police chase? Apparently, that's what a Utah man, Jeffrey Laub, alleged as his excuse for failing to stop when the police attempted to pull him over, the United Press International reports.

Laub, 39, claims that he led the police on a chase because of an upset stomach, and he was actually just trying to reach a rest stop so he could unload. At least, that's what he told the judge. Here's a breakdown of his story and what the judge ruled:

A Load of Crap

Judge Thomas Willmore unfortunately didn't buy Laub's story. According to Laub, he was experiencing stomach pains which were the cause of the police chase. He was speeding up to a point of 111 mph at one point. All for the ultimate goal of seeking out a rest stop at the summit of the canyon.

However, Judge Willmore was skeptical. "That is one of the worst stories I have ever heard," Judge Willmore exclaimed, UPI reports. Willmore also pointed out that Laub had already passed some outhouses both before and during the chase that he could have stopped at if he really needed to.

Failure to Stop and Impaired Driving

Laub pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of failure to stop and impaired driving. This was part of a plea bargain that served to dismiss Laub's other charges of reckless driving, speeding, and driving with an open container.

In Utah, a failure to stop is a punishable misdemeanor when one flees or otherwise attempts to elude a law enforcement officer in an attempt to avoid arrest or after the officer has issued a command to stop.

While there were no reports of Laub being charged with a DUI, he was charged with driving with an open container. An impaired driving plea in Utah is a negotiated charge to avoid a DUI conviction. Basically, it can only be reached through negotiations between the court and prosecutor, and is essentially a lesser, more watered-down version of a full DUI under Utah's law.

Laub has been sentenced concurrently to one year in jail for evading the police and for six months for driving while impaired. Hopefully, he will have ample access to the restrooms there.

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