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WEST VALLEY CITY — Charges were filed Thursday against a man accused of fleeing from police and later causing an officer to fall off the roof of a business by charging at him.
Sergio Ramirez Lopez, 32, is charged in 3rd District Court with second-degree felony making a threat of terrorism, third-degree felony criminal mischief, and six misdemeanors in the Nov. 17 incident.
West Valley police say Lopez fled from officers early that morning after they responded to a call saying he was loitering at a Shell gas station at 4019 W. 4100 South.
Lopez, of West Valley City, allegedly vandalized another nearby business while fleeing from officers before they caught up to him on the top of a strip mall at 3974 W. 4100 South.
Charging documents say Lopez told the officer he had a grenade in his hand. He then allegedly began to try to get inside the strip mall by tearing off roof vents and pipes, causing what court documents say was $3,000 in damage.
Lopez charged at the officers who were on the roof trying to subdue him, causing one of the officers to fall 10 feet, according to West Valley police. The agency released a video Tuesday shows the officer losing his balance, falling and landing on pavement.
The video shows the officer reassuring other officers that he's not seriously hurt, telling them at one point, "I'm lucky I didn't hit my head."
The officer suffered only minor injuries in the fall.
Police: Officer falls off roof during struggle with fleeing man
An officer fell off the roof of a West Valley strip mall while trying to subdue a man who was allegedly fleeing from police early Tuesday. (Photo: KSL-TV)Police tried to subdue Lopez, but pepper spray and a Taser were reportedly ineffective. Charging documents say a backboard, spit mask and shackles were required to subdue him.
Lopez, who also goes by the name Sergio Ramirez, is also charged in the incident with assault against a police officer and failing to stop at the command of law enforcement, both class A misdemeanors; criminal mischief and interference with an arresting officer, both class B misdemeanors; and giving a false personal identity to a peace officer and disorderly conduct after a request to stop, both class C misdemeanors.
Lopez pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor protective order violations in December 2014 in separate domestic violence-related cases. He also pleaded guilty at that time to assault against a police officer and attempted drug possession within a correctional facility, both misdemeanors.
Lopez, who is currently in the Salt Lake County Jail, is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Tuesday.
