The Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating two unrelated hit-and-runs. Police say both hit-and-runs took place early Sunday morning. (Credit: Salt Lake City Police Dept)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Following a highly coordinated and long search, the Salt Lake City Police Department safely arrested a 22-year-old suspect.
According to a press release, Bhode Smith was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of Failure to Respond to an Officer’s Signal to Stop, Failure to Stop at the Command of Law Enforcement, Driving on a Revoked License and Violating Probation and/or Parole.
The investigation began around 3 a.m. when an officer attempted to pull over a white SUV near 800 W. North Temple. According to the press release, the SUV matched the description of a reported stolen vehicle from the evening of Dec. 3. The White SUV did not pull over when prompted by the officer. Shortly after this, police lost sight of the vehicle, prompting them to search the area.
At approximately 3:19 a.m., police say separate officers spotted a white SUV near 500 S. Navajo St. Officers believed this to be the same vehicle. Again, they attempted to pull over the vehicle without success.
A few minutes later, at 3:22 a.m., the driver of the SUV was spotted by police leaving the vehicle and running into a nearby neighborhood.
At this point, SLCPD says officers began a highly coordinated search effort to find the suspect. This included officers setting up containment around his last known location, the 900-block of West Pueblo Street. Following this, officers began a methodical search of the area.
SLCPD located the suspect at 4:38 a.m. According to the press release, police found him hiding in a garbage can near 950 S. 1500 W.
Police identified the suspect as smith and took him into custody without further incident. They also arrested a woman who was inside the white SUV with Smith. She was booked into jail on active warrants, police say.
According to the press release, the White SUV, driven by Smith, was determined not to be the vehicle reported stolen on Dec. 3. That vehicle and a suspect involved are still wanted by police.