SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 25, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake District Attorney’s Office has charged Joseph Schultz, 28, with aggravated kidnapping and robbery.
Besides those first- and second-degree felonies, Schultz also faces a charge of failure to respond to officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony; and reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor.
The charges stem from a Friday incident during which a woman texted dispatch “and told them that she was in the back of her own vehicle and that the defendant was driving, refusing to stop,” says a news release issued by the DA’s Office.
“The victim told 911 she could not get out of the vehicle and feared for her safety. Police found the vehicle, but the defendant sped away when they tried to stop it.
“The defendant drove through city streets, speeding, running red lights, and weaving in and out of traffic. Officers were able to successfully spike the tires to the vehicle and take the defendant into custody after he got out of the vehicle and tried running from them.”
The woman told officers she initially agreed to give the defendant a ride and allowed him to drive, but he began driving aimlessly and would not let her out. When she asked the defendant to stop, he told her to “shut up.”
“The defendant told the victim he needed to steal another vehicle to escape. After officers tried to stop the vehicle, she pleaded with the defendant to stop, but he refused. The defendant said he was nervous about stopping because he was on the run from Adult Probation and Parole.”
Charges were filed Monday, according to the statement from the office of DA Sim Gill.
“This would have been a terrifying experience for anyone to go through,” Gill said in the release. “No one should be victimized, especially when simply trying to offer help to another. Our Survivor and Victim Services Division will work with the victim to ensure she is connected to the resources that can help with the effects of this alleged crime.”
All people accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
