4th person charged with arson of SLCPD patrol car

Photos: Utah Department of Justice

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 13, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A fourth suspect has been charged in the arson case involving the burning of a Salt Lake City Police Department patrol car downtown during a riot on May 30.

The suspect, identified as Lateesha Richards and believed pictured above wearing a shirt with a yellow top, has not yet been arrested.

“A warrant was issued for her arrest in June,” says a statement issued by the Utah Department of Justice. “She has not been arrested and has not turned herself into the Marshals. She appeared by Zoom at an initial appearance Tuesday afternoon with her attorney and was ordered detained by Magistrate Judge Jared Bennett, who found her to be a danger to the community.

“He ordered her to surrender to the U.S. Marshals on Friday morning.”

Richards has been charged with one felony count of arson in the case after she allegedly “maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to maliciously damage and destroy, by means of fire and explosives, a vehicle, to wit: a Salt Lake City Police.”

An affidavit filed by a special agent with the United States Department of Justice, FBI, says Richards was identified by a witness and through an investigation.

The protest had been planned as a peaceful event intended to call attention to the in-custody death of George Floyd, for which a police officer has since been charged with murder.

“During the protest, Salt Lake City Police Officers and other law enforcement
personnel were deployed throughout the downtown area to protect individuals,
businesses, and property,” Richards’ probable cause statement says.

“On the afternoon of May 30, 2020, the peaceful protest in downtown Salt Lake City devolved into acts of destruction and violence. Rioters near the Salt Lake City library at 200 East 400 South overturned a Salt Lake City Police Department patrol car. Moments later rioters set the patrol car ablaze.

“Video footage shows individual rioters using fire and explosives to damage and
destroy the patrol car. The patrol car was engulfed in flames.”

The Utah Department of Justice shared photos that allegedly show Richards involved in the arson of the patrol car.

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