BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah – The Box Elder County attorney has cleared a deputy in the October death of a Sandy resident.
The Box Elder County Attorney’s Office cleared Dep. Austin Bowcutt in the death of 52-year-old Sandy resident Troy Clark Burkinshaw.
On Oct. 26, police say Bowcutt stopped along Highway 13 near Brigham City to confront Burkinshaw, who was urinating along the side of the road.
According to police, while Bowcutt was in his vehicle checking for warrants, Burkinshaw sped off and a chase through Brigham City into Corrine ensued.
The chase ended when Burkinshaw drove down a dead-end road. When Bowcutt got out of his patrol car and approached Burkinshaw’s vehicle, police say, Burkinshaw tried to run down Bowcutt. At that point, the deputy pulled his gun and fatally shot Burkinshaw.
The county attorney says that Bowcutt believed that deadly force was necessary to prevent Burkinshaw from escaping or hurting the deputy.
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