WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Oct. 5, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Police have arrested a wanted fugitive after pursuing him on a looping route through the Salt Lake Valley early Thursday.
In custody is 33-year-old Sione Taufa, who is wanted in connection with cases of felony robbery and aggravated assault, among other things.
“The Metro Gang Unit and the Unified Police Department and the West Valley Police Department (were) working together tonight to track a fugitive,” said Lt. Paul Barker, Unified Police Department.
The tip came in at about 1 a.m.
“They had some information where he might be and the vehicle he might be in. He was spotted getting into this car here, behind me,” Barker said, referencing a silver sedan.
“Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop,” he said. “The wanted person was in the back seat, and two females were in the car also.”
The car raced away, going southbound on Redwood Road, then to State Route 201, then to Interstate 215 northbound before looping back to Redwood Road.
“A Unified Police officer was able to deploy spikes, and got one of the tires,” said Barker, adding that the chase ended at 3100 South and Redwood Road.
“The suspect tried to flee on foot and was apprehended,” Barker said. The suspect was apprehended by a West Valley City Police K-9.
“No officer injured, no civilians injured — the suspect did receive a dog bite, and he’s at the hospital now being treated for those injuries, then he’ll be taken to jail,” Barker said early Thursday morning.
“We’re getting a search warrant for vehicle and interviewing the two females to see what their involvement is. One of the females was driving. She right now is claiming he was forcing her to drive at that speed, but we’re trying to determine through interviews if she’s a victim or a suspect,” Barker said.
If she is a suspect, “… she’ll go to jail too, and if she’s a victim, that’s another charge for him.”
Officers later found a knife, drugs and fake checks in the vehicle.
Barker called the operation ” … a great team effort with West Valley Police Department, Unified Police Department and Metro Gangs sharing resources, working together, all on the same channel. Great team work, and like I said, all the bad guys going to jail and all the officers citizens are safe.”
