CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Man arrested on suspicion of vandalizing Salt Lake police cars
May 8, 2023, 5:44 AM | Updated: 5:58 am
SALT LAKE CITY — A man has been arrested on suspicion of vandalizing multiple police cars, the Salt Lake City Police Department said Sunday.
The investigation and subsequent arrest began when a security guard at 110 W. Pierpont Avenue approached police officers at 1 a.m. Sunday, according to a police statement.
The security guard told the officers that a man had vandalized some nearby police cars, according to a police affidavit. David Caloca had been removed from a bar and was upset with police in the area, the affidavit said.
Police officers found Caloca and confronted him before he ran away through a parking lot. After Caloca was taken into custody he resisted arrest, the police said. Caloca “kicked the front fender of a parked police car” while in custody, according to a police statement.
“Caloca is accused of kicking two police cars and keying or scratching two others, causing significant damage to three cars,” Salt Lake police said.
The cost of the damage is more than $1,500 per police car, the police said.
Caloca could face five third-degree felony charges and two misdemeanors, according to the police affidavit. Three potential felony charges would be in connection with criminal mischief and two would be for jail damage in connection with damaging a police vehicle while in custody. One misdemeanor would be for failure to stop at the command of law enforcement and the second misdemeanor would be for interference with an arresting officer.
