Ex-NASCAR driver pleads guilty in police chase, DUI incident

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Former NASCAR driver Tyler Walker pleaded guilty Tuesday in a Utah District Court to two felony charges and three misdemeanors stemming from a high-speed law enforcement pursuit that began in Southern Nevada and continued for 60 miles past the Utah state line.

Walker, whose full name is Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker, appeared in court wearing a black suit and a neatly trimmed haircut, something he was eager to showcase as a dramatic change from the dreadlocks, untucked shirt and long-sleeved flannel overshirt he wore at the time of his arrest.

"It's a big difference, and I feel a lot better, and I'm in a lot better place," Walker said. "I just want to thank everybody who helped me out … and also apologize to … everybody who was on the road. And just let everybody know I'm doing everything I can to … be healthy so this never happens again."

Walker, 35, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., was arrested Jan. 30, 2013, after a Nevada Highway Patrol officer clocked the race car driver at 150 mph and Walker fled from pursuing officers instead of stopping. He reportedly drove around tire-puncturing strips as he was northbound into the mouth of the Virgin River Gorge and drove over tire-puncturing strips at the Utah state line.

Walker, who formerly raced in NASCAR and the World of Outlaws, was charged with three felonies and five misdemeanor counts that included failure to respond for an officer, drug possession, driving under the influence and unlawful transportation of alcohol.

Officers also reported he had appeared to be fleeing on foot toward other drivers when he finally stopped at the Bluff Street exit of Interstate 15 in St. George, Utah, raising fears he might carjack another car before he was tackled by a trooper.

Walker pleaded guilty to two third-degree felonies and three misdemeanors under terms of the agreement with prosecutors. The felonies — failure to stop for an officer and possession or use of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) — each carry the possibility of up to five years in prison.

The misdemeanors include impaired driving and possession of drug paraphernalia, which each could result to up to six months in jail, and open container of alcohol in vehicle, which carries a potential sentence of 90 days in jail.

Judge Eric Ludlow scheduled sentencing for Feb. 23. His attorney Trevor Terry expects Walker to get probation.

"Prison is for folks that show the judge that they don't deserve a break, that they can't be safe out of jail," Terry told The Associated Press. "Tyler is obviously not in that category."

Walker will undergo a pre-sentencing evaluation by Adult Probation and Parole agents who will examine Walker's criminal and substance abuse history, as well as Walker's frame of mind.

Walker drove in 19 races in NASCAR's XFINITY Series (formerly Nationwide Series) in 2000, '04 and '05. In NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series, Walker drove in a total of nine races during 2003 and '07 and scored a top-10 finish at Martinsville Speedway in March 2007 before NASCAR suspended him later that for violating its drug policy.

At the time of his arrest, officers found less than an ounce of marijuana, multiple new and used drug pipes that contained white residue that was later determined to be methamphetamine, and a bottle of vodka from the vehicle. Police determined Walker was under the influence and was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center to provide a blood sample.

Terry said Walker has undergone extensive counseling and drug therapy since his arrest and intimated doctors also have discovered that Walker has some brain damage from his many crashes during his racing days that might have contributed to some of his problems. Walker said he has been receiving treatment and therapy from a neurologist.

"He's not saying that meth use is an acceptable way to cope with that, but that's what happened," Terry said.

In dashcam footage provided by the Utah Highway Patrol, Walker can be heard telling an officer that when he saw pursuing officers he thought they were escorting him and his wife, Raelle Hann McDonald, to visit her relatives in Colorado.

Walker said Tuesday that he and McDonald are "no longer together" but that she is doing well after nine months of sobriety. McDonald pleaded guilty in May to two drug charges as part of a deal with the prosecution that dismissed three other charges and allowed her to serve probation.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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