OGDEN, Utah, Dec. 16, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A parole fugitive was booked into the Weber County Jail last week after police say he fled from officers, crashed his black SUV backward into a police car, nearly ran over Ogden Police detectives while fleeing the scene, then led police on a chase after they found his car three blocks away from the first scene.
The suspect, 26-year-old Damien O. Mestas, then fled in the SUV again, running through stop lights, hitting OPD and civilian vehicles, and escaping again, until he was found a few hours later at 870 Melody Lane, hiding in a dryer, says a probable cause statement filed by an officer of the Ogden Police Department.
“Damien attempted to run out of the back door of the residence and tried to hop a fence,” the statement says. “Officers attempted to take Damien into custody when he kicked an officer in the arm, causing the officer’s arm to go numb. Damien was told multiple times to stop and refused to do so. Damien then attempted to run around the side of the house where he was taken to the ground.
“Damien continued to ignore multiple commands from officers and continued to fight with them. Eventually, Damien was taken into custody.”
The homeowner allowed officers to search the area where Mestes had been found.
“Inside the dryer was a smashed glass meth pipe with some tin foil,” the probable cause statement says. “On top of the dryer was a smaller piece of glass with what appeared to be partially burnt meth. On the bathroom floor by the toilet was a key fob and a tag that said Black Toyota Highlander on it. Inside the toilet bowl were three small baggies that contained a white crystal-like substance.”
Officers read Mestas his Miranda Rights, the statement says.
“Post-Miranda, Damien admitted that earlier on Kiesel Avenue he knew that we were the cops that got out and approached his vehicle. Damien admitted that his intent was to get away but stated he didn’t see the other detective’s vehicle behind him. Damien also stated that he saw detectives standing in front of his vehicle when he accelerated but stated he didn’t try to hit them.
“Damien admitted that he got into a high-speed chase with the cops and again stated he was trying to get away because he didn’t want to go back to jail. Damien admitted that he had been hiding in the dryer and didn’t know why he had broken his meth pipe. Damien admitted that he had been getting high in the bathroom and that he dropped the keys to the Toyota on the floor and stated he thought he had flushed the meth down the toilet.”
Mestas was booked into the Weber County Jail the same night, Friday, and faces charges of:
- Four counts of assault against a peace officer/military with weapon or force, a second-degree felony
- Failure to respond to officers’ signals to stop, a third-degree felony
- Failure to remain at scene of accident, damage only, a third-degree felony
- Tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony
- Possession of a controlled substance schedule l/ll/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Assault on a peace officer or military member in uniform, a class A misdemeanor
- Failure to remain at scene of accident, damage only, a class B misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Interfering with an officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
Mestas is being held without bail.
