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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
PROVO — At least two people were booked into jail following a carjacking and police chase in Utah County.
About 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, an 18-year-old man told police that he was sitting in his car in an apartment complex near 1600 West and 500 North when two men approached him.
"The two men tried to pull the victim out of the car but the victim still had his seat belt on. The victim said the two men were able to drag him out of his car and started to hit the victim with something that was made of metal. The victim said he was able to run away and the two males left with the victim's car," according to a police booking affidavit.
The man was treated at a local hospital for cuts to his arm, leg and chest. About 10 p.m., police spotted the stolen vehicle near 1300 N. Geneva Road.
"The vehicle did not stop for officers and fled toward Orem. A pursuit was initiated, and neighboring agencies assisted as the vehicle continued to travel north through Orem and American Fork," Provo police said in a statement.
The chase ended when an officer performed a PIT maneuver in a Pleasant Grove neighborhood, disabling the fleeing vehicle. Jesus David Rodriguez-Perez, 19, got out of the passenger seat and ran, the affidavit states. Three other people stayed in the car and were taken into custody. Rodriguez-Perez was chased down and arrested.
Erasmo Cisneros, Jr., 30, the alleged driver, and Rodriguez-Perez were each booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of aggravated robbery, failing to stop for police and possessing someone else's documents. Police found the victim's passport in Cisneros' pocket, according to the affidavit.
Rodriguez-Perez was also arrested for investigation of aggravated assault. Cisneros was arrested for investigation of additional charges of reckless driving and two counts of unlawfully possessing a bank card.
In January, Rodriguez-Perez was arrested in a similar incident when police say he was a passenger in a stolen car that was stopped in Nephi. During his arrest, he initially claimed to police that he was someone else, according to police. Rodriguez-Perez was convicted in March of attempting to provide false information. Another charge of being in a stolen vehicle was dismissed as part of the plea deal, according to court records.
Police say four people were found in the stolen car Wednesday and initially taken into custody. Detectives eventually determined that two of the passengers were not involved in the alleged carjacking and were released.
