SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 19, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A wanted man’s attempt to outrun police might have worked early Thursday morning, if only he had his muffler repaired.
West Valley City Police Lt. Bill Merit told Gephardt Daily police from multiple agencies were in pursuit of Lance Trujillo, a man sought on both old and new warrants, when he gave them the slip in a Salt Lake City neighborhood.
Merit said Trullijo had evaded police and would have escaped altogether if not for the exceedingly loud muffler on his sporty Mitsubishi Lancer.
According to Merit, once Trujillo was out of sight officers rolled down their windows and merely listened to locate the fugitive as he thundered through Salt Lake City neighborhoods.
Officers were tightening their search grid when they came upon Lance’s Lancer parked at the side of the road near 1397 S. Major St.
The hounds were called in and after a few short minutes Trujillo was arrested strolling through a nearby neighborhood.
He was taken into custody on an array of charges, which will now include fleeing police.
Merit said police began surveilling Trujillo just after 1 a.m. when he drove from Salt Lake City to West Valley City and back again.
Officers from Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Unified Police and South Salt Lake Police took part in the pursuit, including the short chase which ended with Trujillo escaping officers long enough to abandon his vehicle.
He was arrested about 1:50 a.m.
Merit said Trujillo’s previous warrants were for non-violent crimes, but that police had been searching for him ever since he evaded police in an attempted traffic stop last week.
