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SANDY — A couple were arrested Thursday after police say they offered a man a ride home, then beat and robbed him and left him with life-threatening injuries on the pavement.
Eric Zechariah Kliner, 20, and Cindy Lee Johnson, 43, were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated robbery. Sandy Police Lt. Dean Carriger credits "amazing" detective work for solving the case.
On July 1, Johnson and Kliner offered a man a ride home from a liquor store. "During the ride home, Kliner and Johnson conspired together to assault and rob (the victim) of his money and liquor bottle," according to a police booking affidavit.
According to police, the couple had had no prior interaction with the victim. Because Kliner and Johnson thought the man had already been drinking, they thought he would be an easy target, Carriger said. Investigators do not believe the couple originally went to the liquor store with the intent to rob someone, but saw a "crime of opportunity" arise while they were there.
After parking their car near the man's residence, Kliner assaulted him "to the point of unconsciousness, causing severe ... life-threatening injuries" as Johnson acted as a "lookout," the affidavit states.
Police say Kliner then took the cash in the man's pockets and "left (the man) unconscious on the pavement and fled in their vehicle."
The victim, who was found by passers-by, was taken to the shock trauma intensive care unit of a local hospital. He remained there on Friday and was still unconscious, Carriger said.
Detectives were unable to interview the man. But after seeing him in the hospital, Carriger said the lead detective on the case felt that the person or people responsible needed to be held accountable, and he "went the extra mile" to solve the case, tracking down witnesses and surveillance video.
The detective was able to find people who saw the couple going through the victim's pockets and drive off, Carriger said. He then obtained surveillance video from the liquor store, and after identifying one of the suspects who had made a purchase, was able to track down the suspect vehicle, he said. Police held surveillance on the home where the car was registered to, and collected enough evidence to obtain a search warrant on Thursday.
Johnson and Kliner were arrested at the residence after the warrant was served, Carriger said.
"This whole case was the result of good detective work," he said.
Should the victim pass away, Carriger said police will screen additional charges with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.
