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SALT LAKE CITY — Police are looking for a man who fled the scene of an accident by pulling a gun on a taxi cab driver.
The minor traffic accident happened around 7 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of 1700 South and 900 West. No one was injured but the vehicles involved were damaged.
It turned into an aggravated kidnapping when the driver of one of the vehicles — a Ford F-150 — fled the scene on foot, jumped into a taxi cab, held a gun to the driver's head and demanding she take him to the area of 4500 South and 700 East in Murray.
On the way, the man arranged for someone to pick him up. When the taxi arrived at their destination, another truck was waiting for him.
Lt. Josh Scharman with the Salt Lake City Police Department said, "They were able to meet up in that area. He demanded the cab driver not look at the other vehicle or get a description. He exited the cab, jumped into the other truck and sped away."
Police are looking for a Hispanic man in his early 30s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 260 pounds. The man had a mustache and goatee and was wearing a red baseball hat. He was last seen driving away in a burgundy truck with a black camper shell.
The abandoned vehicle from the accident is one that has been "involved in other incidents," Josephson said. He could not say what other possible crimes or accidents that truck was involved with.
Detectives are looking for the man they believe was connected to that vehicle in past incidents, Josephson said. Anyone with information can call police at 801-799-3000.
Meanwhile, the cab driver is reported to be OK. Police say she did everything right in this situation by complying with the man's demands.
Written with contributions form Shara Park and Pat Reavy.
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