SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 17, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect fleeing a traffic stop on Thursday afternoon took a marked police car and left the scene.
Officers originally pulled over the 25-year-old suspect at about 1:16 p.m. in the area of 950 W. Euclid Ave., Detective Michelle Melich told Gephardt Daily.
While officers investigated the crash, the suspect came back into the area, stole the patrol car and drove off.
SLCPD located the patrol car abandoned in the area of 850 S. 300 East, says a police statement issued a few hours later.
“The exterior of the vehicle did not appear to have any damage, but a police computer inside was damaged,” it says. “Nothing was stolen from the vehicle. Officers located the suspect nearby and took him into custody without incident.”
Officers booked the suspect, identified as Armando Garcia, into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of:
- Accident involving property damage
- Theft by receiving stolen property
- Theft, fail to stop or respond at command of police
- Interference with arresting officer
- Fail to obey traffic control devices
- Criminal mischief
Gephardt Daily will have additional details as more information is made available.
