WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Oct. 2, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Police have identified a man they say fled police, stole a truck, and hit another driver head on, killing her.
The man arrested is 23-year-old Cesar Perez, an update from the West Valley City Police Department says. He has been booked for investigation of:
- Murder, a first-degree felony
- Aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony
- Aggravated assault on a police officer, a second-degree felony
- Fleeing, a third-degree felony
- Fleeing on foot, a class A misdemeanor
Charges will be determined by the County Attorney’s Office.
The chain of events started when West Valley City police noticed a man, later identified as Perez, smoking an illegal drug at Fairbourne Plaza, just west of West Valley City Hall.
“Just before 9 a.m., officers patrolling the area around Fairbourne Plaza came across a man smoking marijuana in the park. Officers stopped to talk to the man and he took off on foot,” a WVCPD statement says.
“The suspect ran through the parking lot at City Hall, where some electrical workers were outside of their work truck. The suspect jumped in the truck and took off, hitting one of the workers with the vehicle.
“An officer spotted the suspect traveling southbound on 2700 West, and saw him turn into the mall parking lot, but lost sight of him. A short time later, officers spotted the stolen vehicle, pulled over in the neighborhood south of Costco. The officers approached and the suspect fled again, ramming two police vehicles.”
Perez drove away from the neighborhood, and entered 2400 West going the wrong direction.
“As he sped down 2400 West, he hit a vehicle head on. The woman driving that vehicle has died. She was a 52-year-old woman from Salt Lake City.”
The stolen vehicle driven by Perez rolled, and he was captured, checked out and medically cleared, the statement says.
“The worker who was hit by the suspect has also been checked out. He suffered some minor injuries, but is expected to be OK.”
Gephardt Daily will have additional information as more details are released.
