Utah: Stolen vehicle rams into police car, 3 arrested
Three people were arrested Thursday after police say the driver of a stolen car rammed a patrol car and fled before being captured.
The incident began about 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Big Lots, 4041 W. 5415 South. A Unified police officer conducting routine patrol in an unmarked vehicle ran the license plate of a Honda Accord on her laptop and discovered it had been reported as stolen Tuesday in Salt Lake City, said Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell.
The officer called for backup and waited for other officers to arrive. One of the arriving officers then pulled up perpendicular to the Honda in an attempt to box it in and prevent the driver from fleeing.
But the woman who was driving "accelerated in the stolen car forward and rammed his police car and pushed it out of the way so she could flee," Bell said.
The officer had already stepped out of his car by that time and no one was injured, he said. The patrol car suffered several thousand dollars in damage.
After fleeing the scene, Bell said the Honda hit another vehicle near 4700 West and 5400 South. A West Valley police officer spotted the Honda a short time later near 5600 West and followed it to state Route 201.
By this time, the Honda had also suffered significant damage.
"When it hit the police car, the front end of the stolen vehicle was heavily damaged, bumper hanging loose and fluids leaking out of the vehicle. So it was leaving a trail," Bell said.
Police followed that trail of fluid and car parts to 2365 S. 2700 West where they saw the vehicle had been abandoned. Officers searched the area and quickly arrested the three suspected of being in the car, according to the lieutenant.
Felicia Ann Losoy, 25, the alleged driver, was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault on a police officer, hit and run, fleeing and various traffic offenses.
Andrellita Alcon, 25, and Marcelo Atencio, 27, were arrested for investigation of fleeing. Alcon and Losoy originally provided false surnames to officers, according to police.
A large machete still in its case was also recovered. It was not immediately known Thursday if the trio had also stolen the Honda or received it from someone else, or what they intended to do with it, Bell said. Numerous backpacks, clothing and other personal items believed to belong to the trio were recovered from the car.
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