Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WEST JORDAN — One man is in custody after police say he drove away from the scene of an accident and fought an officer who attempted to arrest him on Friday.
Luis Alfredo Meza, 24, was booked on suspicion of four misdemeanors: assault on a peace officer, interference with an arresting officer, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, and operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license.
According to West Jordan Police Sgt. Dan Roberts, Meza rear-ended another vehicle at the intersection of Sugar Factory Road and Redwood Road about 4 p.m. Friday. According to a probable cause statement, Meza’s airbags deployed and his hood was severely damaged, but Meza backed up and pulled away “without making any attempt to render aid or exchange proper information.”
The statement says Meza was tracked to a mobile home park because fluid was leaking from his vehicle. Witnesses also provided a license plate number and description to police, Roberts said.
According to the statement, Meza failed to follow officer commands to turn around and face his vehicle so a search could occur. He then struggled while being placed in handcuffs.
After being handcuffed, the statement says Meza “threw his head” at the arresting officer and “continued to attempt to grab” him even after he was placed on his stomach “in an attempt to prevent the suspect from continuing to hit” the officer.
Officers found that Meza was driving with a revoked license, which they say in the statement is the reason he fled the scene of the accident.
Roberts said the arresting officer suffered “minor injuries” in the scuffle with Meza and was checked out and cleared on scene by paramedics.
