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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City man is facing federal charges accusing him of carjacking a U.S. Postal Service truck and causing multiples car accidents while driving recklessly through Davis County.
Wilber Castellanos Hernandez, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on charges of carjacking, mail theft and theft of government property.
Hernandez is a "foreign national" living in Salt Lake City who stole a U.S. Postal Service Truck at 594 N. Redwood Road on Feb. 5, according to court documents. Witnesses told Salt Lake police officers Hernandez had been checking door handles and breaking into vehicles in the area.
When officers arrived, a postal employee told them Hernandez pointed a knife at him and threatened him and other witnesses. One witness attempted to hit Hernandez with a piece of wood, but Hernandez started the mail truck and fled the area, a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Hernandez drove "recklessly" through Davis County where he was involved in several minor traffic accidents until the mail truck was located using GPS technology and was stopped by officers, prosecutors said.
The mail truck was next reported to be in a vehicle repair shop parking lot in Bountiful where Hernandez nearly hit two people, according to Centerville police. Officers with Centerville, Bountiful and West Bountiful police departments then attempted to stop the stolen vehicle as it drove onto a dead-end street near 950 W. Porter Lane, in Centerville.
"During the attempt to stop the mail truck, it ran into a civilian truck and nearly struck a Centerville officer," Centerville police said in a statement. "The truck was eventually stopped by another Centerville officer who blocked its forward path. Other officers were able to block the truck in from behind. The suspect began driving the truck and was ramming a Centerville police patrol (vehicle)."
But police say Hernandez refused to come out of the mail truck and continued to make threats with the knife. Following a 45-minute standoff, Hernandez was taken into custody after police fired about 14 "beanbag rounds," 40 rounds of pepper spray projectiles, and used their Tasers at least four times, according to police.
Two Centerville officers and one Bountiful police officer received minor injuries during the confrontation, including one officer whose hand was bit while the officer was helping to take Hernandez into custody, police said.
An initial court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.
