A 5th District Court Judge sentenced a former NASCAR driver Monday to 90 days in jail, a $1,665 fine and 36 months of probation in a high-speed car chase case from January 2013. Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker, 35, appeared before 5th District Court for sentencing on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges – including third-degree felony failure to stop at the command of a police officer, third-degree felony possession of a controlled substance, a class B misdemeanor count of driving under the influence, a class B misdemeanor count of possession of paraphernalia and a class C misdemeanor possession of an open container of alcohol in a vehicle -which he pleaded guilty to in December 2014. Walker’s charges stem from his arrest in St. George following a car chase through Nevada, Arizona and Utah on Jan. 30, 2013, that reached speeds of 150 mph. Judge Eric A. Ludlow sentenced Walker to zero to five years in the Utah State Prison on two third-degree felony counts. Ludlow also sentenced Walker to two terms of 180 days on two class B misdemeanor counts and a term of 90 days for both a third-degree felony and class C misdemeanor at a state jail. All but 90 days of the jail time was suspended. Ludlow also ordered Walker to serve 36 months of supervised probation. Upon his release, Walker will undergo a substance abuse evaluation and report to Adult Probation and Parole. “Tyler’s in a better spot than he was two years ago,” Walker’s attorney Trevor D. Terry said. “He was living a pretty lavish lifestyle at the time. That is not the case anymore, and I think it’s for his benefit.” Terry said Walker now drives “an old, beat-up Prius” and works for his family’s company. Both of Walker’s parents appeared in court to support him. Walker addressed the court to apologize for his poor judgment. “The last two weeks have given me a lot of alone time to write out a lot of goals for me without distractions,” Walker said. “It has given me a clarity on my life and where I’d like for it to go. I can succeed, and I’m going to work my butt off to do everything that you ask of me. I will never be late or show any disrespect again, and I apologize for that as well.” Walker has been held in Purgatory Correctional Facility since being arrested on a no-bail warrant after showing up late to his previously scheduled sentencing hearing on March 16. While in custody, a court-ordered drug test detected amphetamine salts and marijuana, both of which he has a prescription for in California, Terry said. Walker’s issues with substance abuse led to his suspension from NASCAR in 2007 after allegedly failing a drug test. He is still facing legal fallout from the high-speed chase in Arizona and was scheduled to appear in a Mohave County court last week to address an alleged probation violation, which has been rescheduled due to his incarceration.(The Spectrum)(4-2-2015)
