By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A 19-year-old Cedar City man on probation for a prior DUI was arrested this week after crashing a dirt bike in the mountains east of town — a vehicle that, according to a witness, he had claimed to have stolen earlier in the night.
Maysun Eli Burson faces 11 charges following the June 9 crash, including felony unauthorized possession of a vehicle, DUI, alcohol consumption by a minor, ignition interlock violation and operating a vehicle without insurance, according to court documents filed in 5th District Court.
Deputies were called around 6:30 a.m. to the Braffits Creek area in the Summit Mountain range after receiving a report of a crash involving a dirt bike and an injured passenger. A witness told investigators that a group of underage individuals had been drinking all night, and that Burson had been seen riding a Suzuki dirt bike before the crash.
When deputies arrived at the campsite, they said they found Burson smelling of alcohol, surrounded by empty liquor bottles and beer cans. Burson told them he had only started drinking after the crash “because of the pain.” Later he admitted to drinking multiple shots of whiskey and beers throughout the night and early morning hours, according to the affidavit.
He consented to a preliminary breath test, which registered a blood alcohol level of 0.184 — more than three times the legal limit for adult drivers and well over the zero-tolerance standard set for minors. Deputies said Burson was already under probation after a prior DUI conviction in January.
The affidavit states Burson had a suspended license, a court-ordered ignition interlock restriction, and no insurance. The female passenger involved in the crash suffered injuries, but the extent was not detailed.
When asked about the dirt bike, Burson claimed he had borrowed it from a friend but could not provide a name, phone number or address for that person. Deputies noted the bike had never been registered.
The crash and arrest come nearly one year to the day after Burson was arrested on June 17, 2024, in connection with the theft of an ATV valued at roughly $4,000. In that case, he admitted to stealing a three-wheeler while intoxicated after attending a bonfire in the Fiddlers Canyon area, telling police he “thought it was a good idea,” according to court records.
Burson was also arrested in April 2025 for DUI and unauthorized vehicle control after he was found driving another person’s car without permission. Officers said he had four underage passengers, an open container of alcohol, and no valid driver’s license at the time of that traffic stop.
Following the most recent arrest, deputies requested that Burson be held without bail, citing concerns over repeated violations, public safety, and what they described as his failure to comply with probation terms.