OGDEN -- An arrest warrant has been issued for the woman listed as Jason Valdez's hostage in a SWAT confrontation that left Valdez hospitalized.
In the 16-hour standoff that began June 18, Veronica Jensen appeared on Facebook with her would-be captor, Valdez. He shot himself in the chest after firing at officers who stormed his motel room in the Western Colony Inn to end the ordeal.
Jensen was unharmed.
Jensen had been arrested on drug charges a month earlier, her case diverted to the 2nd District Felony Drug Court in Ogden.
She failed to show up Tuesday for her regular session at the drug court, and Judge Mark DeCaria reissued a no-bail bench warrant for her arrest.
The warrant had been dormant after it was first issued when Jensen failed to appear for her July 26 drug court session. Shortly after missing the July 26 date, she telephoned a court official to say she would appear for the Tuesday date, which she also skipped.
Valdez was hospitalized for almost a month from what police said was his self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. He finally was healthy enough July 15 to be booked into Weber County Jail.
Valdez refused to leave his jail cell for his first two arraignment dates on July 15 and July 18, according to court records. He finally appeared July 20, and a status conference was scheduled for Wednesday.
Appearing before Judge Ernie Jones, Valdez indicated he would be trying to hire private counsel, although he has already been appointed a public defender. His preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 9.
He is charged with one count each of attempted aggravated murder, for the gunshots police say he fired; aggravated kidnapping for detaining Jensen, which she has said was voluntary on her part; and illegal possession of a handgun, his prior felony record banning him from their use.
The SWAT confrontation at the motel went viral on the Internet as Valdez kept up a running commentary with friends and relatives on Facebook while he was barricaded in the motel room with Jensen.
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