TAYLORSVILLE, Utah, Nov. 28, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A 28-year-old man has been jailed after he allegedly fled police summoned on a retail theft call, then continued to evade officers while he had an 11-year-old girl in the vehicle.
Ivan Vazquez Ruelas, 28, has been booked for investigation of felony child kidnapping, among other alleged crimes.
Taylorsville police were called to the Walmart at 5469 S. Redwood Road on a report of shoplifting by a male and a female, and contacted Ruelas while he was outside the store, commanding him to stop, court documents say.
The officer who filed the report wrote that he was in uniform, in a marked patrol car with activated emergency lights at the time of the attempted stop. Ruelas reportedly fled on foot and got into a gray Chevrolet Malibu, then drove away from the scene.
“While this was happening, the female was crying, advising that her 11-year-old daughter was inside the vehicle and (Ruelas) did not have authorization to have her. As officers were pursuing the vehicle, the vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed, cutting in and out of traffic, driving recklessly. (Ruelas) also drove into oncoming traffic on the highway at a high rate of speed, with the juvenile still in the vehicle.”
The pursuit was terminated after officers lost sight of the vehicle. Ruelas allegedly “had the child for approximately an hour and 40 minutes before he finally agreed and dropped off the child at a mutual friend’s house in West Valley City,” the affidavit says.
“Officers observed (Ruelas) walk the juvenile to the apartment and then go back to the vehicle. Officers attempted to stop (Ruelas) as he walked to his vehicle. Officers had their emergency lights activated and commanded him to stop.”
Ruelas again fled the scene in the vehicle, his affidavit says.
“The vehicle was followed throughout the Salt Lake Valley into Utah County. (Ruelas) eventually ditched the vehicle as the rear tire fell off … in Pleasant Grove, Utah. (Ruelas) fled from the vehicle on foot, into the backyard, where he attempted to hide.”
Ruelas was commanded multiple times to come out, but did not, the statement says. He was eventually taken into custody and arrested for investigation of:
- Child kidnapping, a first-degree felony
- Two counts of failure to stop or respond at command of police, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of failure to stop at command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor
- Interference with arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Retail theft, value less than $500, a class B misdemeanor
Ruelas was ordered held in the Salt Lake County jail system without bail.
It was not immediately clear if the woman allegedly involved in the shoplifting incident would face charges.
