Utahn already charged in drug enterprise case arrested again

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    NEPHI, Utah (KSL) — A man already facing charges of operating a criminal enterprise for allegedly dealing drugs and guns was arrested again over the weekend after police say they caught him traveling over 100 mph with another large shipment.

Ntwydamala Christian Cook, 21, was booked into the Juab County Jail on Sunday and by Monday afternoon was charged in Juab County’s 4th District Court with drug possession with intent to distribute, a second-degree felony; three counts of failing to respond to an officer’s command to stop, a third-degree felony; reckless endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to deliver, both class A misdemeanors; driving on a suspended license, a class C misdemeanor, and two traffic infractions.

On Sunday, Cook was spotted by a Utah Highway Patrol trooper traveling an estimated 100 mph on I-15 in Juab County, according to a jail booking affidavit.

He was “going 102 mph in an 80 mph zone. Troopers got behind him with lights and siren but (Cook) failed to yield, accelerating to speeds of 115 mph,” charging documents state.

Cook got off the freeway in Nephi and the trooper ended his chase and notified local police agencies of the vehicle’s last known whereabouts.

A short time later, while the trooper was parked in the median on I-15, Cook passed him again, according to the affidavit.

“(The) vehicle continued north at 110 to 113 mph without yielding and switching lanes multiple times,” the affidavit states.

A Utah County sheriff’s deputy attempted to spike the tires of Cook’s SUV but was unsuccessful, according to the report. Cook exited the freeway again shortly after in Santaquin. He was spotted again by other agencies on U.S. 6.

“(Police) pursued him back toward Eureka and noted that he swerved into oncoming traffic nearly hitting vehicles head-on,” according to the charging documents.

When troopers spotted Cook’s vehicle again, it was abandoned.

“After a search for the occupant was initiated, he was located about 300 feet from the vehicle hiding,” according to the affidavit.

Drug sniffing K-9s from both the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and Utah Highway Patrol both indicated the presence of drugs in the vehicle, the affidavit states. The SUV was seized and taken to the Juab County Sheriff’s Office where a search warrant was served and THC products found, the charges state.

“During the search warrant of the vehicle, approximately 2,209, 1-gram (vape) cartridges were found in the vehicle,” police wrote in the affidavit while noting that Cook “is known to carry large quantities of narcotics, carry guns and evade police.”

Cook’s arrest comes while he is already facing numerous charges related to an extensive drug investigation. In 2019, following a yearlong investigation by West Jordan police and federal agents, during which money, firearms and drugs were seized as part of the operation, Cook was charged in 3rd District Court with 16 crimes, including engaging in a criminal enterprise.

Cook was later charged with obstructing justice after he was arrested on his original charges. The next scheduled court hearing for both cases is Aug. 24.

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