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MILLCREEK — A Unified police officer was recovering Tuesday from being knocked over by a man who police say tried to avoid arrest by intentionally trying to hit the officer with his vehicle before fleeing.
The incident began when the officer spotted a vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store near 3900 South and 500 East about 11:30 p.m. Monday and noticed that it did not have a licensed plate. The officer also detected suspected drug activity, said United Police Sgt. Melody Cutler.
"Three males walk up to the vehicle, stay for a short period of time and walk away. Based on my training and experience, this was behavior indicative of nefarious activities," the officer wrote in a jail booking affidavit.
The officer circled past the store again, and this time the vehicle took off into a nearby neighborhood, Cutler said. As the officer followed, he found the vehicle a short time later. The vehicle was pulled over and all the lights were off. Cutler said the officer believed the car had been abandoned because he could not see anyone inside it.
But just as the officer got out of his patrol car to investigate, "The suspect sits up — he was laying down in the driver's seat — and turns on the car and drives right at the officer," Cutler said.
The vehicle had plenty of room to drive around the officer. Instead, Michael Rodriguez, 26, of Millcreek, turned the car "directly at" the officer and "intentionally" drove at him, the affidavit alleges.
The officer's leg was bumped by the car as he tried to get out of the way of the accelerating vehicle, knocking him to the ground. The officer suffered cuts and bruises but was otherwise not severely injured, Cutler said.
Other officers in the area spotted the fleeing vehicle a short time later and a short chase ensued.
"During the pursuit, the Nissan (Altima) intentionally rammed two police vehicles, causing damage to them," according to the affidavit.
The chase ended when Rodriguez missed a turn at the intersection of 3900 S. State and crashed through some rocks, trees and bushes, disabling his vehicle.
Rodriguez then got out and ran. Police chased after him and were forced to use a Taser and a police K-9 to finally take him into custody, according to Cutler. As he was being searched before being booked into jail, police reported finding methamphetamine in his pants.
Rodriguez was convicted of stealing a vehicle in November and was sentenced to probation. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Monday for failing to comply with the terms of his probation, according to court records.
Police noted in the affidavit that Rodriguez "showed that he is willing to kill officers to avoid being apprehended.
"The subject completely disregarded the safety of the public and police and has shown that he has no regard for human life or the safety of anyone. The subject was a fugitive and fled showing that he will likely flee again."
Rodriguez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of attempted aggravated murder, two counts of assaulting a police officer, four counts of failing to stop at the command of police, failing to remain at at the scene of an accident, interfering with an arrest and drug possession.
