More information revealed about suspected drug runner

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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.

Sandra Yi reportingWe're learning more about the suspected drug runner who was shot and killed by a Salt Lake County Sheriff's deputy yesterday.

We know drug officers were following Jose Gelpi when he was shot near 600 South and 600 East.

Investigators won't say why they were following him. They would only say that Gelpi was part of a bigger case involving drugs. Lt. Paul Jaroscak, of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, said, I can say that it's part of an ongoing narcotics investigation that encompasses more than this person that was involved with us yesterday."

More information revealed about suspected drug runner

The man shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy had a history of drug related crimes. Jose Gelpi was due in court at the end of the month on drug-related charges from a January incident.

In another case last year, Gelpi pleaded guilty to possessing drug paraphernalia. Those charges were filed after a traffic stop on I-15 in 2006. Court documents say the trooper found two syringes, one of them half full, and a cooker in Gelpi's car. Gelpi later admitted that while the trooper continued to search his car, he dumped the heroin out of the syringe onto the passenger seat.

Gelpi was put on probation. One of the conditions of his probation was that he could not use alcohol or drugs, or associate with anyone who does. But police say Gelpi was a suspected drug runner. Deputies were watching him yesterday. Jaroscak said, "He was under surveillance. They were actually behind him, had him under surveillance."

When deputies tried to make a traffic stop, Gelpi fled and hit a narcotics sergeant with his car.

Another deputy shot and killed Gelpi. Gelpi's car came to a stop in the yard of a Salt Lake City home. "Obviously, this is the worst possible outcome. This is not what we look for," Jaroscak said.

One deputy is on paid administrative leave, which is routine in this kind of investigation. He has been with the sheriff's office for 5 years and on the narcotics unit for 5 or 6 months.

E-mail: syi@ksl.com