OREM, Utah, Jan. 22, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A man who drove to a Del Taco to try to talk workers out of a drink was booked into the Utah County jail without bail Sunday after police spotted him outside the eatery in a stolen vehicle.
Officers located a Chrysler Town and Country van, reported stolen, outside the Del Taco and approached it. Robert Jesus Rodarte, 38, exited the vehicle and fled into the Del Taco, according to an affidavit later filed by an officer of the Orem Police Department.
Officers followed Rodarte into the Del Taco and found him with items including a bag containing drug paraphernalia, a pipe and crystal-like substances that later field tested positive for methamphetamine.
“In speaking with Del Taco staff, it was found that Robert had been attempting to deceive staff into giving him a beverage that he claimed his mother had purchased earlier that night, however Del Taco staff had no record of such an order,” says Rodarte’s affidavit, filed by an officer of Orem Police Department.
Post Miranda, Rodarte “denied knowledge that the van was stolen, claimed his mother had purchased the beverage earlier that night, and admitted to using methamphetamine that day,” the police statement says.
“When officers requested that Robert participate in field sobriety tests, he refused. Robert refused to submit to chemical tests when officers read him the chemical test portion of the DUI citation, and he continued to refuse after being read the refusal admonitions.”
Rodarte declined to provide urine for testing. A warranted blood draw was taken.
Rodarte was booked for investigation of:
- Receive or transfer stolen vehicle, a second-degree felony
- Driving under the influence, second offense in 10 years, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of controlled substances schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of items prohibited in correctional facility, a class A misdemeanor
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor
- Driving on suspended/revoked licence, second offense in 10 years, a class B misdemeanor
- Interference of peace officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Refusing a chemical test, first offense in 10 years, a class B misdemeanor
- Theft/deception valued at less than $500, a class B misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
Police also determined Rodarte was “the suspect in other active felony cases.”
He was booked into the Utah County jail, and ordered held without bail.
