SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – August 20, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – A man who had been arrested for fleeing from officers in Millcreek then taken to St. Marks for an evaluation, fled the hospital before officers arrived to take him back into custody.
According to Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell, David Orosco Garcia had attempted to flee from an officer who initiated a stop because he thought Garcia was burglarizing vehicles in the area. “When the officer tried to stop him, he rammed into the office’rs car and drove up the canyon,” said Bell. “Since there is no other way out of the canyon, our officer did not pursue the chase but instead radioed to other officers up the canyon who were able to place spikes out before the suspect reached them.”
Bell said that the spikes flattened Garcia’s tires and before his vehicle came to a stop he had hit another officer’s car as well as two civilian vehicles.
Garcia then fled on foot towards Skyline High School and as a protocol the school was locked down temporarily.
Police were able to capture Garcia within just a few minutes hiding in the window well of a nearby residence.
Once Garcia was taken into custody he told officers he had swallowed balloons of heroin so the officers took him to St. Marks Hospital for an evaluation. “St. Marks hospital requires two officers present when anyone in custody is being treated,” said Bell. “The supervisor on duty in Millcreek said that they did not have enough officers to keep watch over the suspect so he was released from custody in order to be treated.”
Bell said that the officers informed the hospital to call them once they were preparing Garcia to be released and they would return to place him back into custody. “There was about a 45 minute lapse where Garcia was unaccounted for and when our officers arrived, Garcia had already left the hospital,” said Bell. “Officers briefly surrounded the area looking for him but due to how much time had gone since he had been seen last, we are certain he had left the area.”
Bell said despite prior reports, there was no lock down at the hospital and Garcia did not “escape” as he was not technically in custody while he was being treated.
Garcia is a known gang member with an extensive criminal history and has served prison time. At the time of his arrest Wednesday he had four felony warrants totaling more than $100,000. Police do not consider him harmful to the community necessarily but would like to make sure he is held accountable for the crimes he has committed.
Bell also mentioned officers found a gun in the canyon they believed Garcia tossed out the window before hitting the spikes.
If you have any information leading to his arrest, please call Unified Police Department at 385.468.9831.
