SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 8, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — New details are emerging of an incident in which a police officer was injured in a plunge from a freeway retainer wall in Salt Lake City Wednesday evening while pursuing of a suspect, officials said.
Salt Lake City Police Department initially stated that the officer jumped over the barricade in pursuit of the suspect, but on Thursday afternoon, the department tweeted that the officer was actually engaged in a physical struggle with the suspect that resulted in both falling over the barricade.
The officer remains in serious but stable condition.
The suspect, Jesser Cardona-Videa 20, was booked into jail for for Class A fleeing, resisting arrest and two outstanding felony warrants for drug distribution.
SLCPD Detective Greg Wilking said officers stopped a vehicle for expired registration at 800 W. 200 South under the I-15 freeway viaduct at approximately 6:10 p.m.
The single occupant, Cardona-Videa, fled on foot onto the I-15 northbound freeway. Officers lost sight of Cardona briefly but then spotted him at approximately 50 N. 700 West.
Cardona jumped the cement retainer wall on the east side of I-15 northbound during the struggle with the officer. On the other side of the wall was an approximate 25-foot drop to the ground below. Cardona was somehow able to slow his fall by grabbing onto a tree and lowering himself to the ground. Unfortunately, the officer suffered a significant fall to the ground below and was severely injured.
Cardona fled into the large apartment complex east of 50 N. 700 West and containment was set up. Cardona was eventually located in a garbage chute inside the apartment complex.
