PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

October 26, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

SLCPD Investigating Crash, 1 Person Critically Injured

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating a crash that critically injured a woman after the driver of a stolen pick-up ran a stop sign and crashed into the side of the woman’s car.

This investigation started around 5 p.m. on Wednesday October 26, 2022, when a SLCPD officer came across a tan Ford pick-up near 500 South and 1000 West. The license plate to that pick-up came back as stolen.

The officer did not chase or follow the pick-up.

The driver of the pick-up drove northbound on 1000 West at a high rate of speed.

When the pick-up reached the intersection of 1000 West and 400 South, witnesses saw the driver of the pick-up run the stop sign.

The pick-up crashed into the passenger-side of a car traveling eastbound on 400 South.

Paramedics and Salt Lake City Fire took the driver of the car – the only occupant – to the hospital in critical condition. Doctors have since upgraded her condition.

As the crash between the pick-up and car happened, an SLCPD patrol SUV with two officers inside happened to be on routine patrol traveling westbound on 400 South.

The driver of the SLCPD patrol SUV used emergency vehicle operations (EVO) training to avoid a full-on collision with the two other vehicles.

The passenger front side of the patrol SUV clipped the backside of the stolen pick-up.

The two officers inside the patrol SUV immediately saw two people in the pick-up get out and start running away.

The officers – who were not hurt in the crash – chased after the two suspects and asked for additional officers to respond.

The officers captured one of the suspects.

The second suspect has not been found.

Officers are still working to determine whether the person in custody is the driver of the pick-up or passenger.

Members of the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Auto Theft Unit responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.

Additionally, the Crash Analysis Reconstruction (CAR) Team and SLCPD Crime Lab technicians responded to the scene.

The name of the person in custody right now is not being released.

The name of the woman critically injured is also not being released.

The CAR Team is a multi-jurisdictional crash team that investigates crashes involving serious physical injuries or death. Members of the CAR Team receive specialized training in collision examination, speed analysis, vehicle dynamics, occupant kinematics, scene photography, surveying equipment, crash scene mapping, evidence collection and computer aided drawing programs.

The CAR Team includes law enforcement from the Salt Lake City Police Department and several other Salt Lake Valley law enforcement agencies.

The Salt Lake City Police Department has a dedicated unit strictly to auto theft. This unit is highly skilled and experienced. The detectives assigned to the SLCPD Auto Theft Unit not only follow up on cases by handling all auto theft investigations, but they deploy into the field to track down known vehicle theft offenders who have warrants or to look for, and recover, stolen vehicles. The SLCPD Auto Theft Unit periodically does multi-day operations, using various department resources and technology to assist in making arrests and recovering vehicles. These operations have an immediate and direct impact on other crimes being committed in Salt Lake City.

A SLCPD PIO responded to provide media updates on scene.

Two photos are being released.

No further information on this case is being released. Neither the PIO nor the On-Duty Watch Commander are available for interviews.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is not the custodian of record for jail booking photos. Utah Code 17-22-30 mostly prohibits the release of jail booking photos. Generally, a jail booking photo can only be released by the custodian of record after a conviction or when law enforcement determines the person is a fugitive or an imminent threat to a person or public safety. In Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of record for jail booking photos.

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