DRAPER, Utah, Feb. 26, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A 21-year-old man is in custody after police said he threatened restaurant patrons with a BB gun in Draper, then kicked out the window of a patrol car and fled from authorities early Monday morning.
Officials responded to a report of a man with a gun at Gual Bertos Mexican restaurant at 478 E. 12300 South at approximately 1 a.m., Draper City Police Department spokesman Sgt. Chad Carpenter told Gephardt Daily.
It turned out the suspect was threatening patrons with a black BB gun that looked like an actual gun, Carpenter said.
The suspect ran from officers, who caught up with him and took him into custody.
While the suspect was being transported to jail, he slipped in and out of consciousness, Carpenter said. Police found drugs and drug paraphernalia on his person, though they have not said exactly what drugs they were.
The suspect was transported to an area hospital to be checked out, then driven back to the Salt Lake County Jail. During that drive, the patrol car stopped at a red light on the off-ramp of Interstate 15 near 3300 South.
Unbeknownst to the officer, the suspect managed to maneuver his handcuffs in front of his body. He then wriggled out of his seat belt, before kicking out the rear window of the police car. Jumping from the vehicle, the suspect managed to scale a fence before being Tasered and take into custody.
South Salt Lake Police officers rapidly arrived on the scene to assist.
The suspect is facing numerous charges, including aggravated assault, even though the gun he used was a BB gun, as well as escape from custody.
The suspect’s identity has not been released.
