Man Who Killed Trooper Apologizes For Being 'A Coward'

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A man convicted of killing a Utah highway trooper in 1993 says he's sorry for being "a coward" when he fatally shot the officer during a highway pursuit.

Jason Scott Pearson said Tuesday at a parole hearing at the Utah state prison that he was trying to flee and should have pulled over and taken responsibility.

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Dennis "Dee" Lund was in pursuit of Pearson and a friend after they stole gas. Pearson was 18 at the time and is 43 now. He was sentenced to up to life in prison.

Lund's father Rod Lund urged the parole board to keep Pearson in prison.

Parole board member Angela Micklos noted that Pearson has earned a degree in prison and had no disciplinary violations since 2005.

Micklos says a decision would likely come in a month.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press.