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SANDY -- Sandy police arrested a suspect at gunpoint Sunday, after they said he attacked his girlfriend as well a man who picked her up from a situation of domestic violence.
Officers were dispatched to a home near 10000 South and 200 West around 7:30 Sunday morning after receiving a report of an assault. When they got there, a man was unconscious after being punched out.
Officers later learned 30-year-old Richard Velarde and his girlfriend had been fighting and she called a male friend to come and pick her up. They left, but Velarde called back, wanting her to return some of his property.
When the pair returned to the house, police said Velarde struck the driver of the car and then drove off with his girlfriend inside.
Police put out an attempt to locate and a Sandy officer found the car parked near a gas station.
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"He ordered the suspect out of the car at gunpoint and then took him out of the vehicle and arrested him," said Lt. Justin Chapman with the Sandy Police Department. "The suspect was cooperative -- there was no struggle or fight. The officer did take precautions because we had a couple of felony offenses. He wanted to make sure he did that safely for himself and also for the passenger."
The man who was knocked unconscious was treated and released at the scene.
However, the woman was found to have injuries to her face from being beaten by Velarde, and she was taken to the hospital.
Detectives are waiting to question her on whether she was taken against her will, or just didn't have a chance to get out of the car, which could result in kidnapping charges.
Velarde was booked into the Salt Lake County jail and prosecutors were expected to file charges in the next couple of days.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
