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TAYLORSVILLE — A man who likely would have faced misdemeanor shoplifting charges is now facing multiple felony charges — including child kidnapping — after police say he took extensive efforts to avoid being arrested.
Ivan Vazquez Ruelas, 28, of Salt Lake City, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with child kidnapping, a first-degree felony; two counts of failing to respond to an officer's signal to stop and unlawfully taking a car to commit a felony crime, third-degree felonies; two counts of reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor; and shoplifting, a class B misdemeanor.
On Nov. 27, Ruelas and a woman were observed by police shoplifting at a Walmart, 5469 S. Redwood Road, according to charging documents. The woman complied with officers' commands to stop, but police say Ruelas did not and jumped into the woman's car where her 11-year-old daughter was still in the back seat.
"Ruelas drove recklessly, repeatedly cutting across several lanes of traffic during rush hour, cutting off other vehicles, driving on the shoulder, and driving at speeds ranging from 20 to 80 mph or more. Ruelas nearly caused more than 12 traffic collisions as he swerved in front of vehicles in his attempt to lose the pursuing officers," according to the charges.
Police called off the chase due to safety concerns. About an hour and 40 minutes later, arrangements were made to have Ruelas drop off the girl with a friend in West Valley City.
"Law enforcement coordinated to apprehend Ruelas at the apartment that he was to deliver the child to. While Ruelas was inside dropping off the child, law enforcement blocked in the vehicle Ruelas was driving in an attempt to apprehend him. Ruelas recognized the unmarked law enforcement vehicles, and fled to the vehicle again, and reversed onto the lawn to circumvent law enforcement and continue fleeing," the charges state.
Ruelas continued to drive recklessly, including "driving the wrong way on the freeway while turning off the headlights on the vehicle, after dark, demonstrating a lack of care for public safety and prioritizing his escape," according to the charging documents. After he was arrested, Ruelas allegedly admitted to police "he recognized the undercover police vehicle, so he ran to the car and sped off" and once he got on the freeway "he was surprised he didn't hit anyone due to the amount of traffic."
The pursuit ended in Pleasant Grove where Ruelas got out of the car and ran and then tried hiding in a backyard before being arrested, according to police.
Prosecutors have requested Ruelas be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail, noting that he "recklessly endangered countless lives, including the child that he kidnapped, in his attempt to flee police custody with his extremely reckless and dangerous driving."
