PROVO, Utah, Nov. 27, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A Provo man was booked into jail Friday after he made an illegal left turn, then sped up to try and avoid a traffic stop by a police officer.
The incident started just before 3 p.m. when the white Chevrolet Suburban turned left on a red light at 700 North and Geneva Road, says a probable cause statement filed in the arrest of Avondi Keaunu Pazeau Rocke, 31.
The vehicle accelerated rather than slowed and failed to yield or stop for approximately 1.2 miles when it turned right (West) onto 200 South and came to a stop on the shoulder after travelling approximately 200 feet,” the Provo Police statement says.
“A high-risk stop was announced on the radio and other officers assisted in taking the male driver and two other passengers into custody without incident.”
The officer asked Rocke his name, and the suspect gave the name of a relative, the statement says. He later gave his real name.
“It was later determined that he had multiple active arrest warrants. Upon a search of the vehicle there were multiple items of drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, heroin and more than three items of identifying documents not belonging to any of the occupants and multiple financial transaction cards, located in various locations of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
In addition, police found Rocke did not have a valid driver license or car insurance, and that the vehicle was stolen, the statement says.
Rocke was charged on suspicion of:
- Receive or transfer stolen vehicle, a second-degree felony
- Failure to stop or respond at command of police, a third-degree felony
- Unlawful acquisition/possession/transfer of financial card, a third-degree felony
- Possession of another’s identifying document(s), a class A misdemeanor
- Obstruction of justice — false information, a class A misdemeanor
- Two counts of possession of a controlled substance schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
- Driving on denied license, a class C misdemeanor
- Operating a vehicle without insurance, a class C misdemeanor
- Traffic control signal violation, an infraction
Rocke was booked into the Utah County Jail and ordered held without bail.
