OGDEN, Utah, Aug. 27, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A woman has been booked into the Weber County jail on suspicion of crimes including kidnapping and carrying a dangerous weapon while intoxicated.
Ogden City police responded to the 500 block of 31st Street after dispatched was alerted to multiple people arguing and fighting in the street, say court documents filed in the arrest of 34-year-old Ambrey Welch.
Arriving officers located Welch standing in the street, “carrying a can of beer and an approximately 10-inch long silver kitchen knife,” her affidavit says. “Ambrey dropped the knife when instructed.
“As I spoke with Ambrey, she advised she had consumed many beers throughout the night. I easily detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath and person. Ambrey’s speech was also slurred. Ambrey also advised she grabbed a kitchen knife as she left her house to investigate suspicious noises.”
Welch then declined to talk further, the probable cause statement says. She was arrested at 12:36 a.m. Sunday.
“Three witnesses advised while holding the knife, Ambrey opened the rear door to the victim’s car. Ambrey reached in the car and began unbuckling a 1-year-old child’s car seat. Witnesses heard Ambrey exclaim that she was surprised the child’s mother would let them be taken.
“The child’s mother feared serious harm or death would come to herself or her child since Ambrey had a knife in her hand as she unbuckled the child,” documents say.
Welch also had her unleashed dog near her.
“The dog ran around loosely in the street as this occurred,” the Ogden City Police report says. “The dog was eventually wrangled and officers escorted Ambrey to her house to stow the dog. As Ambrey walked, her balance was askew.
“Officers later attempted to serve a warrant for Ambrey’s blood. Once it was approved by a judge, Ambrey refused to cooperate and had to be forcefully removed from the jail cell for the blood draw to be attempted. Ambrey also refused to provide a breath sample after a blood sample could not be collected due to Ambrey’s condition.”
Welch was booked for investigation of:
- Aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdeneamor
- Carrying a dangerous weapon under the influence of alcohol/drugs, a class B misdemeanor
- Dog/cat at large, a class B misdemeanor
- Intoxication, a class C misdemeanor
Welch was ordered held without bail.
