Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
SALT LAKE CITY — A man who told police he was "very high on drugs" when he allegedly committed a series of crimes now faces numerous felony charges.
Russell Ryan Carter, 44, of Morgan, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping, both first-degree felonies; three counts of theft, a second-degree felony; attempted theft, a third-degree felony; two counts of criminal mischief, and drug possession, both class A misdemeanors.
The string of crimes began Aug. 8 when an employee at a Denny's restaurant, 420 W. 4500 South, got out of her car and was confronted by Carter in the parking lot who pointed a gun at her and told her to get back in the car and slide into the passenger seat, according to charging documents. He then began "poking" the woman with the gun, the charges state.
Carter got into the driver's seat, told the woman not to tell anyone that she had seen him and that he would be back, and then left, according to the charges.
Carter went into a nearby Shell gas station, 4489 S. Century Drive. Employees left the store and called police. A SWAT team was called, but Carter left the store before officers arrived, according to police.
Investigators believe after Carter left the gas station, he stole a minivan in the area of 4195 S. 500 West, the charges state.
At some point, prosecutors allege Carter also went to Century Construction, 4343 South Century Lane, started a skid-steer loader and drove it into a fence, according to the charges. He also broke windows and damaged the front door at RMT Equipment, 4225 S. 500 West, and attempted to steal one of the company's trucks, the charges state.
When Carter was arrested by police, he told officers that "he was very high on drugs that day," accordant to a police booking affidavit, and "his memory (of what happened) wasn't the best due to the drugs he took."
Police say he told them that when he got into the woman's car "he remembers the look on her face, and he realized he was doing something wrong," and that's when he ran off.
