WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Feb. 19, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A wanted fugitive was taken into custody Tuesday night after he attempted to escape capture by hiding in the home of a family member.
Sgt. Scott Arnold, West Valley City Police Department, told Gephardt Daily that officers were watching for 26-year-old Juan Manuel Hernandes when they saw him arrive at and enter a home on the 3700 block of West Montrone Drive. Arnold said the home belongs to a relative of Hernandes.
Hernandes was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for a previous domestic violence incident in West Valley City, Arnold said.
Officers spotted Hernandes at about 7:30 p.m., and a containment area was set up. Scanner traffic indicated that officers wondered whether SWAT should be called to the scene, but it was determined that SWAT would not be needed to bring Hernandes out of the house.
“(The officers) got consent from the homeowner to go in and look for him, and they found him hiding in a closet,” Arnold said. “He complied with them and was taken into custody.”
Detectives were interviewing Hernandes later Tuesday night, and Arnold said it’s possible that charges may be pending in addition to the domestic violence felony charge he is already facing.
