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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City man was sentenced to prison on Thursday for aggravated robbery after a jury found him guilty of carjacking a woman at gunpoint prior to fleeing from police.
Ioelu Ioelu Toafe, 42, was sentenced to five years to life in prison for aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; one to 15 years in prison for obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and zero to five years in prison for failure to stop at the command of police, a third-degree felony.
On Dec. 11, 2022, near 7155 S. High Tech Drive (185 West) in Midvale, a woman was putting her purse down as she entered her car when Toafe grabbed her arm, pointed a gun at her and forced her from the vehicle, according to prosecutors.
He drove away in the car, and police used the woman's phone that was in the car to track Toafe. Officers attempted to pull him over on I-215 but he continued going until officers stopped him with a PIT maneuver, which forced him to abrubtly turn and bring his vehicle to a stop, prosecutors said.
Chase with carjacking suspect ends with police patrol car hit
A man who police say carjacked a woman and then led officers on a chase that ended when a patrol car was hit, was taken into custody on Sunday.Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill expressed appreciation that the judge gave Toafe a sentence that could leave him in prison for a long time and addresses the crime's severity.
"The defendant not only threatened the life of the victim he robbed, but he also put at risk the safety of officers and other drivers when he fled from law enforcement. This sentence reflects the danger this defendant caused in our community," Gill said.
Toafe has a lengthy criminal history and had a warrant outstanding for charges in another stolen vehicle case when he was arrested.
A jury found him guilty on Jan. 8, after a one-day trial and deliberation that lasted a little over an hour.
