12/13/12 Kearns, UT – Suspicious Person Call – Suspect Tries To Steal Officer’s Weapon – Steals Salt Lake Unified Police Car – Chase – Police Car Crashed Into Other Police Car

Police say a man stole a Unified police officer’s car then led them on a short chase that ended in the parking lot of the police precinct in Kearns.

Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal said around 10 a.m. police received a call of a suspicious person near 5100 South and 4620 West. Neighbors reported a man wearing a black hat, black coat, and carrying a black garbage bag was looking into the windows of homes in the neighborhood.

Police responded, couldn’t initially find the man, but then located him about an hour later. When an officer tried to talk to him, he took off running.

Hoyal said a police officer caught up with him, and he seemed to surrender peacefully. But while the officer was trying to handcuff the suspect, Hoyal said the man tried to grab the officer’s weapon. He then jumped into the front seat of the officer’s car. The officer attempted to use a stun gun on the man, but he drove away.

A short chase ensued at speeds of about 40 to 50 miles per hour.

The chase ended when the man drove the stolen car into the police substation at 4250 W. 5415 South and got out of the car with his hands up.

“As officers were attempting to take him into custody, he had left the car in drive and it rolled into one of our unmarked police cars,” Hoyal explained. Damage to the police cars is minimal.

The suspect was taken into custody and will be booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.

No one was injured in the incident.