SYRACUSE — A 21-year-old man was booked in Davis County Jail on suspicion of retail theft after a rollover left the driver of a stolen PT Cruiser in critical condition.
Robert David Montes, of Garland, was booked into the jail Monday night by police, Syracuse Lt. Tracy Jensen said. Montes was a passenger in the vehicle that rolled several times at 4000 W. 300 North in West Point on Monday.
Montes bailed out of jail Tuesday.
The driver of the vehicle was listed in critical condition Tuesday, Jensen said. The driver was thrown 50 feet from the vehicle and was flown by helicopter to University of Utah Medical Center.
Police are not releasing the name of the driver, pending notification of family members and charges being filed in the case, Jensen said.
Jensen said an off-duty Davis County Sheriff’s deputy saw two men leaving the Walmart garden center’s emergency exit at 1700 S. 2000 West with a “bunch of items in their arms” shortly before 7:30 p.m. Monday. The two men got into the PT Cruiser and headed west on Antelope Drive, also known as 1700 South.
The deputy called dispatch and gave a description of the car and the two men.
A Syracuse police officer had just left his home and was traveling south on 3000 West when he saw the PT Cruiser speed past him heading north, Jensen said.
The officer “flipped his car around and watched the suspects run the red light at 300 North and 3000 West,” Jensen said.
The Syracuse police officer caught up to the vehicle at about 3700 W. 300 North and got a license plate number. The PT Cruiser then passed a vehicle heading west on the left side, going about 60 mph, and the driver over corrected, causing the vehicle to roll several times.
The Utah Highway Patrol is handling the investigation into the accident, Jensen said. Syracuse police are investigating the theft at Walmart.
The Davis County Sheriff’s Office provided emergency medical care.
Comments