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TOOELE — Tooele police say having well-trained, experienced officers on duty likely prevented a volatile situation from ending in a police shooting.
Jeremy Roy Jose Maestas, 43, was arrested Oct. 4 without serious injury, even though investigators say he threatened to shoot officers and had what appeared to be a gun in his possession, as well as a pipe bomb. He was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with making a threat of terrorism and recklessness involving an incendiary device, second-degree felonies; failing to stop at the command of police, a class A misdemeanor; and interfering with an arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and making a threat of violence, class B misdemeanors.
On Oct. 4 bout 10:15 p.m., an officer spotted Maestas riding a scooter in the road and attempted to stop and talk to him. Initially, Maestas refused to stop for the officer, but pulled over to a sidewalk near 305 N. 100 East. He then walked away from the officer, and when ordered to stop told the officer "No," according to a police booking affidavit.
"Mr. Maestas told me and other officers to leave him alone and that he would 'shoot' me and the other officers. Mr. Maestas said he had a 'gun' and moved his right hand, which was concealed in his pocket as if he had a firearm. Mr. Maestas continued to back away from officers and refuse to comply with commands of taking his hand out of his pocket and stop moving," the affidavit states.
Maestas then claimed he had a bomb, according to police.
Tooele Police Cpl. Colbey Bentley says the Tooele County Major Crimes Task Force was working that night and responded to the scene and surrounded Maestas.
"Mr. Maestas continued to refuse commands and said that he would shoot us," the affidavit says.
As officers in front of Maestas kept him engaged, another officer sneaked up from behind and tackled him, Bentley said. At that point, the officers noticed that Maestas "now had both hands wrapped around an item in his pocket. Officers saw the item that appeared to be a black handgun that Mr. Maestas refused to let go," according to the affidavit.
Officers then used a Taser to stun Maestas and place him into custody.
It was determined that Maestas was carrying an Airsoft gun, but the incendiary device he had was real, Bentley said. If not for the "experience and wisdom" of the officers on scene, he said the incident could have very well ended with a police shooting.
"I really believe we work hard on training on deescalating, which is a huge thing," Bentley said. "The last thing any officer wants is to shoot at somebody."
