A surveillance photo from an alleged theft at a 7-Eleven that led to a police pursuit on May 7. Image courtesy Unified Police Department.
SALT LAKE CITY — Police are looking for a suspect who escaped from police after ramming a squad car, but authorities said they got a good look at the man and the license plate on his vehicle, so they are confident they will be able to find him.
Lt. Justin Hoyal, Unified Police Department, said things began around 7 p.m. when an officer who was buying a soda at a 7-Eleven located at 3300 South and 900 East heard a clerk begin yelling, “Thief, thief.”
The officer moved to the front of the store, where a suspect with a bag of stolen candy jumped into a black Dodge Durango that had been left running in front of the store. The officer reached into the vehicle in an attempt to restrain the man, but the suspect gunned the gas and tried to run the officer over during his flight. The officer jumped clear and was not injured.
The suspect fled and police pursued. While in the area of 4500 South, the man rear-ended a parked car but kept driving. When the chase made its way near State Street, the suspect went down a dead-end road and became blocked in by officers. The suspect rammed a squad car to escape the dead-end street.
The chase continued into a residential area, which is when the chase was terminated due to safety concerns.
Hoyal said officers got a good look at the man and his license plate number, so they are confident they will capture him. The man was also caught on the store’s surveillance cameras.
