SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 12, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Police have identified a 19-year-old man who admitted to texting and driving early Saturday morning, hit a parked car and rolled his own, then fled the scene and committed more crimes while looking for a place to hide.
Officers booked Christian Diaz into jail for possession of a stolen firearm, DUI, hit and run, burglary and possession of a controlled substance, according to a news release from the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Salt Lake City Police officers responded to a call of a rolled vehicle at about 3:15 a.m. Saturday near 1675 S. Prospect Street, in the area of 1700 South and Redwood Road.
Officers arrived to find the car resting on its hood and top, according to Lt. Mike Ross. The flipped car had pushed a parked car into a McDonald’s parking lot.
“It was right next to an apartment complex, and when we arrived, we heard glass breaking,” Ross told Gephardt Daily. “The gentleman from the car ran and tried to get into an apartment to hide, and we found him fighting with the male who lived at the apartment.”
Police took Diaz into custody, and returned to his car, where they noticed a strong odor of marijuana,” Ross said.
Diaz admitted to the officer the car contained marijuana, a stolen gun and prescription drugs. A bottle of prescription cough syrup was found on the suspect.
Ross said Diaz was taken to Intermountain Medical Center to be treated for superficial cuts to his hands, which Ross said the man sustained while breaking the apartment window to gain entry.
