A man accused of trying to run over a Colorado State Patrol trooper during a chase Thursday on U.S. 24 east of Colorado Springs has been arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.

Arthur Tyrone Espinoza, 42, who was out on parole, is being held in the El Paso County jail without bond, according to inmate records. In addition to attempted murder, he also is facing reckless endangerment, vehicular eluding, driving while under the influence of drugs, reckless driving, driving under revocation and a parole violation charges, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The chase began bizarrely with a driver of a white Sport Utility Vehicle telling a state highway worker his family was being tortured before driving off. The state employee followed him and told a sheriff’s dispatcher that the man was driving erratically

Shortly before 6 p.m., deputies caught up with the vehicle near U.S. 24 and Soap Weed Road, giving chase when the driver refused to stop. Deputies requested help from the State Patrol after the driver sped up and continuously crossed into the oncoming lane, the Sheriff’s Office said.

While state troopers set up stop sticks, deputies tried to get the driver off the highway to avoid a head-on collision, the pursuers said. A sheriff’s sergeant stopped the vehicle and possibly saved the life of a trooper by crashing into the SUV when it drove around two patrol vehicles and headed toward the trooper who was setting up stop sticks. 

Espinoza is due in court Wednesday on unrelated charges. No information was released Friday about his previous offenses or when he was paroled. 

{span}Charges have been filed against Arthur Tyrone Espinoza. Courtesy of El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.{/span}

Arthur Tyrone Espinoza. Photo courtesy of El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.