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TAYLORSVILLE — Criminal charges have been filed against a man who police say forced two people at gunpoint to flee from police.
Darrell Raoul Johnson, 32, of Salt Lake City, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; failing to stop at the command of police, three counts of unlawfully having someone else's bank count, third-degree felonies; two counts of possessing someone else's identification card; and failing to stop for police, class A misdemeanors.
On Feb. 2, police attempted to pull over Johnson, who had warrants out for his arrest, but he fled "and a short pursuit occurred until Johnson ran a red light causing a risk to the public and (the pursuit) was terminated," according to a police booking affidavit.
On March 8, police were keeping surveillance on the Redwood apartments, 4000 S. Redwood Road, after receiving information that Johnson had been going there frequently, charging documents state. They spotted Johnson getting into the back seat of a pickup truck. A man and a woman were also inside the vehicle. Officers followed as a helicopter from the Department of Public Safety also made its way to the scene, according to the charges.
Police attempted to pull the vehicle over near 1200 West and 3500 South, but after initially slowing down, the pickup sped away, the charges state. The driver would later tell police that he was about to pull over when "Johnson pulled out a gun, racked a round in the chamber, and pointed it at him, telling him not to stop," the charges state.
A short chase ensued, which police terminated not long after it started. The helicopter, however, continued to follow the pickup.
At 2700 South and 1100 East, tire spikes were deployed by police.
"The vehicle continued to drive on flat tires until it came to a stop at 2100 S. Main Street," the charges state.
Again, the driver said he was going to stop, but Johnson ordered him to keep driving, according to the charges. Instead, the driver got out and ran from the pickup. Johnson then also got out and ran but police using a K-9 later found him hiding between two cars and arrested him, according to the charges.
