ST. GEORGE — An 18-year-old woman checked herself into Dixie Regional Medical Center after hitting her head during a two-car collision at the intersection of Mall Drive and Red Cliffs Drive Monday evening. The accident blocked traffic for approximately 30 minutes.

At about 5 p.m., the woman, who was driving a white Honda Civic, was traveling west on Red Cliffs Drive when she attempted to make a left turn onto Mall Drive at a yellow light. She collided with a green Nissan Sentra, driven by a 19-year-old woman, that was traveling east through the yellow light, St. George Police Sgt. Spencer Holmes said. (See ed. note)

On impact, the airbags of both vehicles deployed; the Nissan driver’s airbag caused burns on her wrists. The Honda driver hit her head inside her vehicle, Holmes said, which influenced her decision to go to the hospital following the accident.

Traffic was directed through the intersection by St. George Police officers for about 30 minutes following the accident, as the disabled Nissan was blocking the intersection and one lane of traffic along Red Cliffs Drive.

Both vehicles were totaled and had to be towed from the scene. The Honda driver was cited for failing to yield at the yellow traffic light, Holmes said. (See ed. note)

The St. George Police and St. George Fire departments responded to the scene of the accident.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Ed. note: Correction made regarding cited vehicle. Clarification made regarding traffic light.

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St. George Fire Department responds to a collision at the Mall Drive and Red Cliffs intersection, St. George, Utah, Oct. 20, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A 2001 Nissan Sentra remains in the intersection after it was hit in a collision at the Mall Drive and Red Cliffs intersection, St. George, Utah, Oct. 20, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A Honda Civic sustained damage to its right side after colliding with a Nissan Sentra, St. George News, Oct. 20, 2014

A 2001 Nissan Sentra remains in the intersection after it was hit in a collision at the Mall Drive and Red Cliffs intersection, St. George, Utah, Oct. 20, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Traffic remains at a standstill after a collision blocks traffic at the Mall Drive and Red Cliffs intersection, Oct. 20, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A 2001 Nissan Sentra remains in the intersection after a collision at the intersection of Mall Drive and Red Cliffs, St. George, Utah, Oct. 20, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A Honda Civic is towed from the accident scene at the Mall Drive and Red Cliffs intersection, St. George, Utah, Oct. 20, 2014 |Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A Nissan Sentra remains in the intersection after it was hit in a collision at the Mall Drive and Red Cliffs intersection, St. George, Utah, Oct. 20, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

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ST. GEORGE – Mario Antoine Lucero, 33, standing with attorneys Aric Cramer and Edward Flint before 5th District Judge G. Michael Westfall, Wednesday morning, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder related to the death of 31-year-old Jeremy Shawn Olsen.

The plea appeared to surprise the judge somewhat as quizzical looks accompanied questions aimed at determining if Lucero fully understood what he just pleaded to. Throughout the questioning, Lucero repeatedly nodded in the affirmative or shook his head as needed to let Westfall know he was aware of what the plea entailed.

Little comment was offered by the prosecution or the defense, and Lucero chose to remain silent when asked if he would like to speak.

Lucero, through his lawyers, asked to be sentenced the same day, and was subsequently sentenced to 15 years-to-life in prison by Westfall.

As a part of the plea deal, additional charges related to felony and misdemeanor counts of assault, criminal mischief and a separate case involving a felony assault on a fellow inmate were dropped.

Not many people beyond the attorneys involved in the case knew about the plea deal, which came as a surprise to members of Olsen’s family who attended the hearing.

“I honestly thought (Lucero would) prolong it as long as he could,” said Glen Worthen, Olsen’s father.

To friends and family, Olsen was often referred to by his middle name of Shawn.

Both Glen Worthen and his wife, Lisa Worthen, said that while the hurt left by their son’s death wasn’t over, they are glad the court process is.

“It ends the torture of having to come back (to the court),” Lisa Worthen said.

Olsen died on Feb. 16, 2013, two days after sustaining blunt force trauma to his head during the alleged fight with Lucero at the home of Deseri Haley, Lucero’s sister. There had been a family gathering that evening where alcohol was consumed, Haley said, during a preliminary hearing on Sept. 18.

For reasons not fully explained in the courtroom, Lucero and his mother got into an argument and a fight ensued. Haley responded to the commotion and said she found her mother on the ground at Lucero’s feet. She then said she asked her brother, “What the hell are you doing?”

Haley said Lucero started hitting her in the face. Before passing out, Haley said, she saw Olsen trying to hold Lucero back. When she regained consciousness, Haley found Olsen on a couch with his head slumped to the side. There was blood over everything, she said.

Due to his injuries, Olsen was flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas where he eventually died.

Lucero fled the scene and was eventually picked up by police in Los Angeles on a warrant.

St. George Police Detective Jordan Minnick went to California to retrieve Lucero for extradition. Minnick testified during the preliminary hearing that Lucero told him he didn’t remember all of the details of the incident, or how much alcohol he may have consumed that evening. However, Lucero told the detective, he hadn’t had a drink in a long time, and that, “It all went wrong with the first drink.”

Though mentioned a number of times during the preliminary hearing, alcohol was not officially named as a contributing factor to the incident by either the defense or the prosecution.

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Twitter: @MoriKessler

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SOUTHERN UTAH – Halloween is all about fun, dressing up, trick-or-treating and indulging in more than one’s fair share of sweets and treats. To ensure enjoyment safe from dangers and with a leaning towards healthy indulgence, we’ve compiled some precautions and suggestions for your consideration including some admonitions from local law enforcement.

Reminders for children

• Do not trick-or-treat alone
• Walk in groups with a trusted adult
• Always make sure to let your family know where you are going and make sure  to be home when you’re supposed to be home
• Never go into a stranger’s house unless your trusted adult is with you and says it is OK and always make sure your trusted adult knows where you are
• Be careful when you cross the street, make sure you look both directions and there are no cars coming; if you have a little brother or sister with you take their hand to help them get across the street too
• Always walk on the sidewalk whenever possible
• Fasten reflective tape to your costumes and/or candy bags to help drivers see you
• Avoid masks. Masks can block a child’s full vision from vehicles coming out of driveways and around corners.
• Avoid costumes with loose clothing. Loose clothing can brush up against a jack-o-lantern or candles and cause costumes to catching on fire; it also can be the cause of children tripping and falling
• Accessorize with flexible props, such as rubber swords. Inflexible props can cause serious injury during a fall
• Attach the name, address and phone number of children under age 13 to their costume in case they get separated from adults. Have each child carry a cell phone.
• Check all treats, or ask your trusted adult to help you check, for choking hazards and tampering before eating them
• Only trick-or-treat at houses that are well lit
• Carry a flashlight or wear a headlamp

Health tips for kids and parents

• Talk to your child about boundaries on how many pieces of candy they should consume on Halloween night; three to five is recommended
• Provide your child with a nutritious meal that includes fruits and vegetables before they go trick-or-treating and provide them with plenty of water; this will lower their appetite for sweets
• Remind your child not to eat any treats before you have a chance to examine them thoroughly for holes and punctures; throw away all unwrapped treats
• Parents of children with food allergies must read every candy label in their child’s Halloween bag to avoid a potentially life-threatening situation
• Offer to “buy back” candy your child receives in exchange for toys
•  Set aside time for your child to be active to help burn the extra calories consumed
• When choosing sweets to give out, select ones with nutritional value such as dark chocolate or candies with nuts
• Be aware of registered sex offenders in your neighborhoods and steer clear of trick-or-treating at those homes

Safety for drivers on halloween night

• Get rid of ALL distractions. Most accidents are caused by distractions. Your chance of accidents is drastically lowered by focusing all of your attention on the road
• Drive more slowly on Halloween and anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic
• Enter and exit driveways and alleyways slowly and more carefully
• Take extra time to make yourself aware of kids on curbs, at intersections and on medians
• Remember that children are very enthusiastic for Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways

“We want people to be aware that it’s a busy time and to be diligent and cautious especially around residential areas with children trick-or-treating,” St. George Police Sgt. Sam Despain said.

Washington City Police Public Information Officer Ed Kantor cautioned safety first on the holiday. In addition to staying in groups, he said trick-or-treaters need to know the people who reside in the homes they go to for treats and parents need to check their children’s candy before allowing them to eat it.

Extra law enforcement will be present to patrol residential areas to ensure children are safe and that drivers are not speeding, Kantor said.

“We encourage drivers to be extra cautious,” Kantor said. “Kids can get excited and dart across the road when trick-or-treating. Motorists need to be careful around the residential areas on Halloween.”

St. George News Editor-in-Chief Joyce Kuzmanic contributed to this report.

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Twitter: @STGnews

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ST. GEORGE – In the 1984 movie “Footloose,” actor Kevin Bacon portrays Ren McCormick, a young man who finds himself in a town that has banned dancing. During a scene in the movie, McCormick stands before the town council and uses verses from the Bible to support his stance against the town’s anti-dance law.

“There is a time to every purpose under heaven,” Bacon’s character said, quoting the Bible. “A time to laugh, a time to weep. A time to mourn, and there is a time to dance.”

Unlike the small town featured in “Footloose,” St. George does not have any so-called anti-dance ordinances, though critics may argue otherwise.

As Bacon’s character said, “there is a time for every purpose.” For special event applications for activities like outdoor dances and concerts, or activities seen beyond the normal and allowable scope of a business license and/or zoning, the City of St. George has made that application time at least 30 days before the activity takes place.

The city’s permit procedure for special events has come under fire across social media since news about an incident surrounding the Heart of Dixie Events LLC’s quashed Monster Mash dance party broke. If there is indeed “a time for every purpose,” supporters of Heart of Dixie say it’s time for the city to revisit how it handles permitting events.

Monster Mash rehash

On Sunday, St. George News reported the incident that took place at Fiesta Fun Friday night involving the “Monster Mash,” a Halloween party promoted by Heart of Dixie, and intervention by the St. George Police.

Police arrived shortly after the event began and told the Heart of Dixie representative Jared Keddington they were there to make sure there was no dancing, and that Heart of Dixie was potentially in violation of its permit. Keddington then produced a permit from the city, a copy of which is attached to this report, and argued the dance portion of the party had been approved.

“Someone approved (the permit),” he said. “I don’t know if it was the City Council, but obviously somebody did.”

Despite his arguments, police soon showed Keddington a copy of the original application that had been amended in parts by SGPD Capt. Scott Staley; a copy of the amended permit is also attached to this report. The amendments were a condition of the permit’s approval and disallowed any dancing or amplified dance music. Keddington also said the police threatened to arrest him if anyone started dancing or gave the officers grief.

“It’s Footloose,” he said. “This is Footloose.”

St. George spoke to Keddington Monday about the incident and his account largely echoes the observations of Karlee Jarvis, a Heart of Dixie security supervisor, and Brett Crockett, owner of Fiesta Fun.

Days before the Mash

Marc Mortensen, assistant to the city manager, said the city had no knowledge about the Monster Mash until four days before it was to be held. According to city documents obtained by St. George News, a St. George Police officer came across the event via social media and informed SGPD Capt. Scott Staley about it.

In an email to St. George Police Chief Marlon Stratton written on Oct. 21, Staley wrote that he met with the owner of Fiesta Fun and learned acquiring the proper permits for the Monster Mash had been left to Heart of Dixie promoters. Staley then contacted Keddington and said he couldn’t hold a dance at Fiesta Fun, as it wasn’t a use permitted under Fiesta Fun’s business license and that he’d need a permit.

According to the email, Staley said, “I explained to (Keddington) numerous times why the permit was required, but to no avail.”

Still, Keddington was encouraged to submit an application, which he did the following day.

Mortensen previously said the reason the city requires permits to be handed in 30 days before an event is so the city department and associated third parties, like the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, have adequate time to review it. A final decision for approval is then put before the City Council. Getting council approval for the dance on short notice wasn’t a possibility since the council didn’t meet that week, Mortensen said.

Emails went back and forth between Keddington and city staff for the next two days. On Thursday Keddington received an email from Bill Swensen, the city’s special events coordinator, again telling him there could be no dancing.

“The dance and music portion of your event cannot occur without the prior approval of the St. George City Council. This portion of your event will not be permitted,” Swensen wrote in the email. Other events that were within the norm of Fiesta Fun’s approved purview were allowed.

“If everything happening at the event was in the norm of what Fiesta Fun does, why would we need a permit?” Keddington said.

After receiving the email, Keddington said, he tried to contact City Attorney Shaun Guzman and was in turn contacted by Deputy City Attorney Paula Houston.

He said he told Houston that he felt the city was being discriminatory. He also said he argued it was a constitutional right to dance. Houston told him he still needed a permit, Keddington said.

Staley wrote in his Oct. 21 email to Stratton that Keddington had said the same to him.

Keddington asked Houston to try and get the permit through. His company would lose thousands of dollars if the Monster Mash didn’t happen, he said.

“They pushed it though,” he said. “They got it done and Friday we picked it up.”

While Keddington maintains the permit allowed a dance, Staley and other city staff apparently had a different understanding.

In an email to the police chief sent out Friday afternoon, Staley wrote that Heart of Dixie promoters had agreed to amend their permit so it wouldn’t include any potential for dancing.

“The event will NOT have a dance and will not have amplified dance music.” Staley wrote.

Note: Copies of the application/permit documents and correspondence given to St. George News courtesy of Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George can be seen full-size at the end of this report. 

Monster Mash crashed: Misunderstanding or willful disregard?

Mortensen has said repeatedly that the city has no problem with people dancing. This is a matter of following permit procedure.

“This was a lack of planning on the part of the promoter,” he said.

Still, city staff did what it could for Keddington and issued him a permit for everything except dancing.

“We still issued him a permit to try and help him out,” Mortensen said, “but he did not hold authorization to hold a dance.”

According to Heart of Dixie’s event permit, it was estimated that between 600-1,000 people would be attending the event. Mortensen later told Fox13 News that the number could have become greater as news of the dance spread over social media. The resulting flood of people could have overwhelmed the area and caused potential problems city officials felt were best avoided.

Friday night the Monster Mash got under way and individuals 18 and up began to arrive in costumes for the party. Soon after the police arrived to make sure no one was dancing. Keddington said they threatened to cite him and the DJ for creating an atmosphere that could promote dancing and thus put him in violation of his permit.

“I told them, ‘Well, I actually have a permit that was issued by the city this morning that has ‘dance’ and ‘fun’ checked on it, and a big stamp of approval on it,’” Keddington said.

He said he had gone through the permitting process and was approved. However, Staley arrived and showed him the rest of the application. On it were both typed and handwritten notes made by Staley that amended away any possibility of a dance that night.

“I don’t care if they did this or not,” Keddington said about the amended permit. “They can sit in their office behind closed doors and they can make adjustments to it all they want. We didn’t see it, we didn’t sign it, we didn’t initial it, we didn’t agree to it.”

Keddington said he believes the city violated the permit and also violated his civil rights. “It’s not a crime to dance,” he said.

Mortensen contends Keddington knew ahead of time about the permitting process and wasn’t ignorant of it. Keddington said he hasn’t had to get a special event permit for events, and he’s promoted many events in Southern Utah. The only exception has been Sand Hollow State Park, he said.

Staley also alleged Keddington knew about the process.

“I also told him that I had a conversation with him about a year ago explaining the process,” Staley wrote in the Oct. 21 email. He also wrote that he told Keddington it seemed like he was trying to circumvent the application process.

Swenson said he met with Keddington around two months ago. They discussed special events and the application process in general, but only generally. The topic of dances never came up, he said.

“We’re not against events,” Mortensen said. “We’re an events city. We have events nearly every weekend. We just asked they come into compliance.”

In the wake of the attention given the Monster Mash incident, Mortensen said the City Council will be revisiting how the city ordinance governing special application and procedure is written. It is an ordinance Keddington said the city never gave him a direct reference to. The only ordinance he said he found relating to dancing was the city’s often maligned ordinance that deals with dance hall permitting.

The ordinance cited by the city in this case is 10-14-19: Temporary Outdoor Events. It is featured below:

Temporary outdoor events (i.e., promotions, tent sales, exhibits, carnivals, concerts, etc.) may be permitted by the city council or a designated representative on property zoned commercial, including the planned development commercial zones, for a period not to exceed six (6) continuous days within a six (6) month period. This time limit applies to all local and out of town businesses and all commercial locations within the city. Special exceptions to the time limit may be granted by the city council on a case by case basis. Temporary outdoor events to be held on public property also require review and approval by the city council or a designated representative. Applicants shall submit adequate plans and information for the city to determine that the events will not interfere with the safety and general welfare of the community, nor violate any zoning, parking, licensing or other requirement or ordinance of the city. Required licenses, permits and special clearances shall be obtained prior to any event taking place. (1998 Document § 3-20)

The Permit 

The special events application is a five-page document that can be found on the City of St. George website. Mortensen said it is common for the city to return only the first page of the application along with an attached business lisence/permit to the applicant once the event is approved. The city keeps the remaining four pages of the original document on which city staff may have made notes concerning parts of the submitted application.

He said the city staff were not the ones that checked “dance” and “fun” on the permit, but that those were elements of the event originally checked and submitted by the Heart of Dixie. While the front page showing those checked boxes has a stamp of approval on it from the city, the remaining pages later shown to Keddington by Staley showed where the police captain amended the original application in order to prevent any dancing.

Keddington maintains the city approved the dancing as shown on the permit he originally received, while the city still says otherwise.

Ed. Note: Elements highlighted in blue were added by St. George News. Other elements have also been crossed out in black to protect the privacy of individuals involved in the incident. Heart of Dixie Events LLC is a registered Utah Limited Liability Company.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

The first page and license for the Monster Mash that Keddington obtained from the City of St. George. Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

Parts struck out in black and highlighted in blue were done by St. George News | Document courtesy of The Heart of Dixie and the City of St. George, St. George News

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Twitter: @MoriKessler

The post Crashed Monster Mash dance: Promoter decries, city stands by permit process appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — A 4-vehicle collision occurred Tuesday evening near Dixie High School after the driver of one car was reportedly following too close to the vehicle in front of her.

Four cars line the street of 700 South after being involved in an accident that caused damage to each car, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Just after 5 p.m., officers were dispatched to a collision at 350 E. 700 S. in front of Dixie High School in St. George, where four cars, headed eastbound on 700 south, collided after a 2005 white Mitsubishi Lancer, hit into the car in front of it, St. George Police Lt. Joe Hartman said.

“Traffic was backed up at the light and the Mitsubishi rear-ended the vehicle in front of them,” Hartman said, “which caused all the other cars to hit the car in front of them.”

The driver of the Mitsubishi complained of hand pain due to airbag deployment. No other injuries were reported, Hartman said.

St. George Fire Department and St. George Police Department responded to the scene of the accident to direct traffic until the scene was cleared around 6:45 p.m.

Damages to the vehicles included hood and front bumper damage to the Mitsubishi, right rear side damage to the Toyota, left rear bumper damage to the Pontiac and a scrape to the back bumper of the Ford.

The driver of the Mitsubishi was issued a citation for following too close.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by responders on scene and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

St. George Police attend to 4-car accident in front of Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 |Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police VIPs direct traffic after a to 4-car accident in front of Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 |Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Fire attend to 4-car accident in front of Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 |Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Aftermath of white 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer in a 4-car accident near Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Aftermath of white Toyota Camry in a 4-car accident near Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Aftermath of white 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer in a 4-car accident near Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Aftermath of white Toyota Camry in a 4-car accident near Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police officers clean up after a 4-car accident that took place on 350 E. 700 South, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Aftermath of a red Pontiac Grand Prix that was involved in a 4-car accident near Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Aftermath of green Ford Expedition that was involved in a 4-car accident near Dixie High School, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police and St. George Fire departments attend to a 4-car accident at 350 E. 700 South, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Four cars line the street of 700 South after being involved in an accident that caused damage to each car, St. George, Utah, Oct. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

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Email: hcoombs@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post Driver following too close causes 4-vehicle collision near Dixie High School appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — Authorities apprehended a St. George man Friday on charges including human trafficking and kidnapping.

Richard Moultrie booking photo posted Oct. 24, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

On July 26, officers with the St. George Police Department responded to the Conoco gas station on 995 E. St. George Boulevard on a welfare check, St. George Police Detective Aaron Bergquist wrote in a probable cause statement supporting the arrest.

Once on scene, they contacted a woman who said Richard Moultrie, of Henderson, had taken her from Las Vegas against her will to force her into prostitution activities, Bergquist said in the statement. The woman said Moultrie had grabbed her arm and forced her into a vehicle, threatened her and her children and transported her to St. George.

When they arrived in St. George, the woman said Moultrie took her cash and cell phone from her and demanded she stay in the car, Bergquist said in the statement. He then entered the Motel 6 located at 205 N. 1000 East.

The woman told police she fled from the vehicle once Moultrie entered the building, and ran to the gas station to contact police, Bergquist said in the statement. She also admitted to consensually working as a prostitute in the past with Moultrie as her pimp and was allegedly forced to turn over all the money from her prostitution activities to him.

“Investigators were unable to locate Moultrie that day,” Bergquist said in the statement, “however, video surveillance was obtained of him at the (Motel 6) at that time.”

Officers submitted charges against Moultrie to the Washington County Attorney’s office, Bergquist said in the statement.

Moultrie was also arrested nearly a week prior on Oct. 21 by Washington City Police after they were called to the scene of an incident where he had allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman, a class A misdemeanor. He was booked into Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility but was released on $1,943 bail bond the following day.

On Friday, St. George Police located Moultrie at the same Motel 6 he had allegedly taken the woman to in July, and questioned him there. Officers also discovered that Moultrie had a non-extraditable warrant out of Texas for prostitution charges.

Moultrie was arrested and charged with three second-degree felony charges of human trafficking, kidnapping and robbery, and a class B misdemeanor charge of aiding prostitution.

Moultrie’s previous bond was revoked following his arrest on these new charges and he was booked into Washington County Purgatory Correction Facility. He remains in custody with bail for release set at $35,000.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Email: dchavez@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post Man arrested following human trafficking, kidnapping investigation appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — A married St. George couple was arrested Monday for drug possession and multiple counts of burglary in St. George and Virgin.

Officers responded to a residence on a burglary call, St. George Police Officer Trevor Anderson said in a probable cause statement supporting the arrest. Once on scene, a resident told officers that Andrew Guerrero was knocking on his front door while another man attempted to force his way through the back.

Andrew Guerrero, of St. George, booking photo posted Oct. 27, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

“The (resident) went downstairs to get his gun as the suspect was trying to come through the back door,” Anderson said in the statement, “and came back upstairs to discover the suspect in his home.”

The alleged burglar ran out the backdoor and hopped a fence while Andrew Guerrero entered a vehicle and fled the scene, Anderson said. Officers located the vehicle with Andrew Guerrero inside, along with his wife Amelia Guerrero.

Upon further investigation, officers discovered both suspects in the vehicle had warrants and were placed under arrest, Anderson said in the statement. While searching the vehicle, officers found a black pouch with a glass pipe containing suspected methamphetamine, a white container holding foil and a plastic pipe and a purse containing a plastic pipe with burnt residue.

“Amelia (Guerrero) stated the purse was not hers, but she shares the purse with a friend,” Anderson said in the statement.

Officers also found two pry bars along with other tools believed to be used in burglaries, Anderson said. There were also bags in the vehicle containing identification documents that did not belong to either of the occupants.

The identity of the other male involved with the burglary is unknown, Anderson said in the statement. Both suspects were arrested and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

Following Andrew Guerrero’s arrest, officer Garen Brecke of the Springdale City Police Department, contacted SGPD regarding another burglary where Andrew Guerrero was believed to be involved.

On Oct. 15, Brecke was called to the scene of a burglary in Virgin where a young girl ran into a man exiting her family’s home, Brecke said in a probable cause statement supporting the additional charges. The man was carrying several items from inside the home and ran to a car driven by a woman and fled the scene.

During an investigation of the surrounding area, officers discovered a motorcycle laying in the bushes a half-mile away from the home, Brecke said in the statement. The owner of the motorcycle told officers he believed Andrew Guerrero had stolen it from his home. The owner also said Andrew Guerrero was married to his daughter, Amelia Guerrero, and that he had been stealing from his property.

“I showed a photo of Andrew to (the young girl) and she said she was pretty sure that was the male that had exited her parent’s house,” Brecke said in the statement.

Shoe prints with the word “Jordan” in the heal area were also discovered in both areas in Virgin, Brecke said in the statement. Brecke sent a photo of the prints to SGPD and they appear to match the shoes worn by Andrew Guerrero.

This kind of cooperation between two separate police departments is quite common, St. George Police Sgt. Sam Despain said. Criminals often do not care about boarders and jurisdictions, so they commit crime all over, he said.

Because criminals do not operate within a specific area, Despain said it is important for all agencies to work together. This helps them recognize when a suspect has been caught and allows additional charges to be filed.

Anderson was able to contact a person in the Las Vegas area who owned some of the property found in Andrew Guerrero’s possession, Anderson said in the statement. The items included a camera, jewelry and checks.

Amelia Guerrero, of St. George, booking photo posted Oct. 27, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Andrew Guerrero was arrested and charged with five third-degree felonies for burglary of a non-dwelling, possession of drugs, receiving stolen property, possession of identification documents, and a previous warrant; two second-degree felonies for theft, burglary of a dwelling, and a previous warrant; two class B misdemeanors for possession of burglary tools and drug paraphernalia; and a class A misdemeanor for a previous warrant.

Amelia Guerrero was arrested and charged with three third-degree felonies for receiving stolen property, drug possession and possession of identification documents; one second-degree felony for burglary of a dwelling; and three class B misdemeanors for possession of burglary tools, possession of drug paraphernalia and a previous warrant.

Andrew Guerrero’s bail is set at $81,174 cash or bond. Amelia Guerrero’s bail is set at $28,674 cash or bond.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Twitter: @STGnews

The post Married couple charged with burglary in St. George, Virgin appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE – Comedian Colin Jost poked fun at the City of St. George for its permit policy regarding dancing on the “Weekend Update” news satire segment of NBCUniversal’s “Saturday Night Live” television show Saturday.

In its Nov. 1 episode, the mock news co-anchor, sits with an image behind him marking St. George on a map then shifting to a photo of a grinning Kevin Bacon – Bacon starred in the 1984 movie “Footloose” about a young man who finds himself in a town that prohibits dancing. In the SNL news broadcast, Jost said:

Residents of St. George, Utah, are upset about a new city ordinance that prohibits dancing events without a permit. I’m on it, said Kevin Bacon.

The seconds-long snippet was tucked in with other news bites on such items as Ebola, the Pope’s stance on evolution, sexually transmitted diseases, midterm elections, Starbucks delivery service and Apple CEO Tim Cook being gay … among other morsels.

Click here to view the episode; the segment begins at about the 29-minute mark. Note: Saturday Night Live is not suitable for all audiences, viewer discretion is advised.

The spoof apparently stems from the city’s actions over a disputed dance permit for a Monster Mash party on Oct. 24 hosted by Heart of Dixie Events LLC at Fiesta Fun Center in St. George; St. George Police showed up with a strong presence to ensure no dancing took place. The prohibition came as a result of the city’s position that the event promoters had not complied with permitting requirements, a position the promoter has said came after issuing a permit stamped “approved.”

Read more: Dancing at Monster Mash party stopped by police over disputed event permit and Crashed Monster Mash dance: Promoter decries, city stands by permit process

The city does not have an ordinance that prohibits dancing. It does have conditions consistent with the Uniform Building Code that must be met for a dance hall business license, and it has imposed stipulations on event coordinators who want to include dancing at an event.

Yet, the perception created by a notable police presence over a Halloween dance party has caught attention beyond Utah-based media. Since St. George News broke the story on Oct. 26, the incident has been addressed on such blogs as The FreeThoughtProject.com, the DailyKos.com, BenSwann.com, OpposingViews.com and thestupidnewsnetwork.com. Heart of Dixie representative Jared Keddington said Fox News TV broadcast on the incident and that it was the discussion of talk radio for about two hours on a radio program out of New Hampshire.

This is not the first time the City of St. George has been fodder for satirists. In September 2013, the National Report, an internet-based satirical news site, posted an article claiming pornography is illegal in the city.  St. George News published a story on that article, to which the National Report Editor-in-Chief Nigel J. Covington III commented. Speaking of the writer who had penned the satire, Covington said: “Mr. Horner has an almost daily habit for stirring the pot shall we say and not always do we receive such a nice friendly reply. We here at the National Report want to thank you again and we wish all the good people of St. George well.”

It is said that it pays to have a sense of humor.

Then again, the National Report was not finished with St. George. Eight months ago, it posted an article claiming the Mormon religion has five years left in existence due to LDS women being corrupted by “Party Crews” from Arizona. And again, in late summer, the publication mocked the LDS Church, in an article claiming a 21-year-old Mormon girl had sold her virginity on Ebay to raise funds for a roof repair at the St. George Temple.

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Twitter: @JoyceKuzmanic

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ST. GEORGE — A collision involving three cars occurred at 1000 East and St. George Boulevard Tuesday evening after one car made an unsafe move within halted traffic. Following the collision, traffic was slowed and remained backed up on the Boulevard for about three to four blocks in both directions for approximately 20 minutes.

At about 5 p.m., a truck, an Acura and a Lincoln LS heading westbound were stopped at a green light at the intersection of St. George Boulevard and 1000 East, St. George Police Officer Jamison Hale said.

A Lincoln sustained damages after being crushed during a three-car collision on St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 4, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Though the light was green, the truck driver, an adult male, had stopped just before the crosswalk at the intersection and did not go farther, as he saw the crosswalk would become clogged with drivers if he moved forward, Hale said.

An adult woman was driving with her daughter in an Acura behind Rochelle Morales, who was driving the Lincoln LS behind the truck. She and the truck were stopped, Morales said, as the driver of the truck said, after the accident, that he was stopped because he didn’t want to clog the intersection.

The woman driving the Acura crashed into the back of Morales’s vehicle, which caused Morales to hit the truck, Morales said.

“The light was green and I was making no contact with the truck in front of me and the car came behind me, hit me and I crunched into the truck,” she said. “I got smashed in between the two cars.”

Both she and the truck driver were at a stop and unable to move while the Acura driver seemed to be moving too fast and caused the accident, Morales said.

Not seeing that traffic was stopped ahead of her, she saw the light was green and moved forward, hitting the Lincoln LS in front of her and causing the Lincoln LS to collide with the truck, Hale said.

No injuries were reported by any of the occupants in the vehicles, Hale said.

The driver of the Acura was cited for unsafe movement from a stopped position, as she had already been stopped in traffic when the light turned green.

The St. George Police Department was the only responding agency to attend to the accident scene.

A left-turning lane and the far right hand lane, which allowed drivers to turn right or go straight, was open to moving traffic for about 10 minutes until other officers arrived to help Hale clear the accident scene.

The Lincoln LS appeared to be totaled, having sustained a crushed front end, including the radiator, which lost fluid after the vehicle hit the truck. The truck received little, if any, damage, while the Acura had minimal and fixable damage, Hale said.

The truck and the Acura were able to drive off without being towed, Morales said.

“I was the one that had to have my car towed,” she said.

Ed. Note: CLARIFICATION of vehicles made based on Nov. 5 interview with Morales.

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Twitter: @STGnews

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ST. GEORGE – The new Mall Drive Bridge area was broken in with an accident Friday evening when a police vehicle was involved in a collision at the intersection of Mall Drive and Riverside Drive in St. George.

A St. George Police officer was traveling eastbound on Riverside Drive when a westbound passenger car attempting to turn left onto the Mall Drive Bridge failed to yield to the officer’s oncoming vehicle, causing the officer to strike the car, St. George Police Sgt. Rich Triplett said.

“The police car was fairly damaged and had to be towed, but the other vehicle wasn’t damaged very much at all,” Triplett said.

There were no injuries as a result of the accident, and other than a little bit of fluid from the collision there was no debris on the road requiring cleanup.

“Both vehicles immediately pulled off to the shoulder, and there was no traffic hazard,” Triplett said.

Washington County was brought in to investigate the crash, he said, since it involved a police officer.

“We’re not going to investigate one of our own,” Triplett said.

Triplett said the driver of the passenger vehicle was listed as being at fault on the accident form, but he said he doesn’t believe any citations were issued.

Triplett added he hopes the Mall Drive Bridge won’t become a new hotbed for accidents in St. George.

“I’m worried that it might, but I guess we’ll see,” he said.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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• 2 River Road accidents in 20 minutes result from failure to yield
• Failure to yield collision on Mall Drive

Email: cjim@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post St. George Police cruiser involved in collision near Mall Drive Bridge appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — Two men were arrested Wednesday for possession of multiple drugs while in a drug-free zone.

Shilo Goodwin, of Milford, and Taylor Coufal, of St. George, were stopped by St. George Police as part of a routine traffic stop in the parking lot of Kmart on 745 S. Bluff Street, Officer Travis Willinger wrote in probable cause statements supporting the arrests.

Goodwin was “acting fidgety” during the traffic stop and kept putting his hands near his pockets even after being asked to keep his hands where they could be seen, Willinger said in the statement. During a pat-down of Goodwin’s person, officers also discovered a glass pipe in his pocket.

“The pipe was dirty and covered with a white and dark colored substance suspected to be methamphetamine,” Willinger said in the statement.

During a search of the vehicle, officers also located a bag containing two glass pipes and a container with a green plantlike material, believed to be marijuana, inside of it, Willinger said in the statement. Neither Coufal nor Goodwin admitted to owning the bag.

Coufal did, however, claim ownership of a blue backpack inside the vehicle and consented to a search of the backpack, Willinger said in the statement. Upon searching the backpack, officers discovered a bag containing what is believed to have been methamphetamine inside a prescription bottle with Coufal’s name on it.

Once the two were placed under arrest, both men spoke with officers again regarding what had happened, Willinger said in the statement. Goodwin admitted the bag officers had found the marijuana and paraphernalia inside of was his bag, but that the items inside of it were not.

Goodwin also told officers that himself and Coufal had smoked methamphetamine and marijuana earlier that day, Willinger said. Coufal also spoke with officers again, but told them he had no knowledge of the drugs or paraphernalia.

“Taylor (Coufal) repeated over and over that he had no idea where the items came from,” Willinger said in the statement. “When asked about the meth in his backpack he stated he ‘forgot it was there.’”

Afterwards, Coufal asked officers if he could “take the fall” for the entire event just get if over with, Willinger said in the statement.

Both Coufal and Goodwin were booked into Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility for second degree felony counts for possession of methamphetamine, third degree felony counts for possession of marijuana and class A misdemeanor counts for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Coufal and Goodwin remain in police custody with their bail for release set at $8,000 cash or bond each.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Ed. CORRECTION:  Second person booked and in custody is Goodwin.

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Email: dchavez@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post Meth in backpack found during traffic stop; two arrested appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — Two women were transported to the hospital Friday afternoon following a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George.

Shortly after noon, a woman driving a Nissan Altima was traveling northbound on Bluff Street in the outside lane, St. George Police Officer Tyrell Bangerter said. At the same time, a woman traveling southbound in a Lexus merged into the left-hand lane and proceeded to turn left in front of the Nissan, and the two vehicles collided.

Aftermath of a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo by Brett Brostrom, St. George News

“They hit at an angle, front to front,” Bangerter said.

St. George Fire Department, St. George Police officers and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene.

The driver of the Lexus was transported with minor injuries to Dixie Regional Medical Center by Gold Cross Ambulance. The driver of the Nissan suffered a broken ankle, Bangerter said, and was also transported to DRMC by Gold Cross Ambulance.

The driver of the Lexus was issued a citation for failing to yield on a left turn, Bangerter said.

Both vehicles were towed.

St. George News reporter Aspen Stoddard contributed to this report.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by responders on scene and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

The aftermath of a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Greg Harrawood, St. George News

The aftermath of a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo by Brett Brostrom, St. George News

The aftermath of a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo by Brett Brostrom, St. George News

The aftermath of a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo by Brett Brostrom, St. George News

The aftermath of a collision that occurred near 450 S. Bluff St. in St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo by Brett Brostrom, St. George News

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Email: bbrostrom@stgnews.com

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The post 2 women taken to hospital after Bluff Street collision appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — A St. George woman was arrested Thursday after being found in possession of drugs following a home burglary where she allegedly stole $1,800 worth of jewelry.

Nicole Jordan, of St. George, booking photo posted Nov. 13, 2014 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Officers originally responded to a residence on the 2000 West block of 1700 North in St. George after reports that Nicole Jordan had entered the home and took multiple items without permission, St. George Police Officer Jared Carlson wrote in a probable cause statement supporting the arrest. The items alleged to have been taken included approximately $1,800 worth of jewelry and 24 prescription pills.

Officers ran Jordan’s name through their system and discovered she also had two active warrants for her arrest in Washington City, Carlson said in the statement. Another St. George Police officer located Jordan in her boyfriend’s car near 2045 W. 1700 North in St. George.

Upon searching Jordan, Carlson discovered a bag of unused needles, a spoon covered with a brown substance and a bag containing a similar brown residue, Carlson said in the statement.

“(Jordan) stated the brown substance on the spoon was heroin and she had used one of the needles to inject heroin three hours before we made contact with her,” Carlson said in the statement.

After performing a test on the brown residue, officers found the substance did test positive for heroin, Carlson said in the statement. Along with the drugs, Jordan also admitted to stealing the jewelry from the residence, but denied taking the other items.

“She denied taking any prescription medication from the residence,” Carlson said in the statement.

Jordan was arrested and charged with two second-degree felonies for the possession of a controlled substance and the burglary of a dwelling; one third-degree felony for theft; and one class B misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jordan was booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility on Thursday. Her bail is set at $20,000.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Email: dchavez@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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ST. GEORGE — A 19-year-old Dixie State University student was arrested for burglary, multiple counts of theft and possession of alcohol by a minor after Dixie State University Campus Police and St. George Police officers found him in possession of various items reported stolen by other students.

On Nov. 14, Shamil Blaisdell was arrested after both St. George Police and DSU Campus Police officers responded to multiple burglary and theft reports from various individuals. Blaisdell was ultimately found in possession of the stolen items.

On Nov. 13, Dixie State University Police officer Eldon Gibb responded to a report of a burglary call and met with five alleged victims at the Chancellor Apartments, 11 S. 800 East.

“I found an individual had unlawfully entered their apartment and had taken items from their bedrooms without their permission,” Gibb wrote in the probable cause statement supporting the charges.

The items taken in this incident included several items of clothing, a Proscan tablet, a laundry basket containing dirty clothes, a DVD player, a Nokia cellphone and athletic slippers.

Shamil Blaisdell, booking photo posted Nov. 14, 2014 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

On Nov. 14, St. George Police Officer Chad Lee responded to a theft report at the Campus Villa Apartments, 833 E. Tabernacle St., where stolen items included an Xbox game system, DVDs, video games, a laptop, a laptop cooling pad, a computer mouse, a penny skateboard and a set of computer speakers, according to a probable cause statement filed by Lee.

DSU Campus Police Officer Dan Kaonohi responded to yet another theft report of an iPad being taken from the Chancellor Apartments the same day Lee was conducting his investigation, according to a probable cause statement filed by Kaonohi.

Lee located Blaisdell at his campus apartment and searched his room, where he found a can of beer, a bottle of vodka and items that Gibb had inquired about in his case. Lee seized an iPad, later verified by its serial number to be one of the items reported stolen, along with a tablet as evidence that Blaisdell had been involved in the thefts.

Lee left the remainder of the items in the room and arrested Blaisdell for possession of stolen property totaling approximately $2,000 as well as possession of alcohol by a minor.

Kaonohi later responded to the Purgatory Correctional Facility and signed for a burglary charge to be added against Blaisdell regarding the stolen iPad.

On Nov. 15, Gibb obtained a search warrant and took the other items, which Lee had seen the previous day, from Blaisdell’s room. He found a bath towel, black headphone case and other clothing items that had been reported stolen. According to his probable cause statement, Gibb found those stolen items to total more than $500.

“I found Mr. Blaisdell to have been in possession of several items that belonged to five different victims,” Gibb wrote in his statement. “I found Mr. Blaisdell to be incarcerated at the Washington County Jail Facility.”

Dixie State University crime statistics 2006-2012, circa, 2013 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News | Click on image to enlarge for legibility

According to DSU Police Department’s statistics, a consistent average of between three and four burglaries have taken place each year among university students between the 2006 and 2012 school years. Theft cases, on the other hand, have ranged from six to 17 different cases each year.

DSU Campus Police Director Don Reid said the statistics on theft and burglary generally stay low but will be higher this year with the six different cases connected to Blaisdell.

“Theft and burglary happen a lot less often than you would think,” Reid said.

Generally, university students might decide to steal when they are not doing well in school or are not receiving financial support, so they start stealing from people around them, Reid said.

Blaisdell was booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility on charges of theft by receiving property valued between $1,500-$5,000, a third-degree felony; burglary of a dwelling, a second-degree felony; theft by receiving stolen property exceeding $500, a class A misdemeanor; and theft and unlawful possession of alcohol, both class B misdemeanors.

He made his initial appearance in 5^th District Court Monday and is scheduled to counsel with an attorney this coming Monday. Blaisdell’s bail is set at $10,680, according to current booking information, and he remains in custody at the time of this publication.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Email: hcoombs@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post DSU student arrested for allegedly burglarizing student apartments appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — Two St. George men were arrested late evening Thursday on felony theft charges for stealing golf carts from various golf courses in St. George.

St. George police officers were asked to respond to 1825 West Mathis Park in St. George to investigate a case of felony theft with related incidents, according to a statement written by St. George Police Detective Terrance Taylor in support of the arrest. Officers made contact with a man who reported that he had recently purchased a golf cart that he had found posted in an online advertisement that listed the golf cart in St. George.

Curtis M. Bryner’s booking photo posted Nov. 20, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

The man said he purchased the golf cart from a man identified as Curtis Bryner, 19, who lived at a specified address on the 1800 block of West Mathis Park in St. George. According to the statement, the man paid Bryner $200 in cash as well as traded a 40 caliber pistol, estimated at $400, for the purchase of the golf cart.

The golf cart was then found to be stolen out of St. George. Follow-up information provided by the person who bought the stolen golf cart online led investigators to positively identify suspect Bryner as well as alleged accomplice Cecil Tuua, 19. Both Bryner and Tuua were at the residence where the transaction had occurred, according to the statement.

“We conducted interviews with the suspects who confessed to having stolen a Golf Cart from Oasis Palms,” Taylor wrote in the statement, “they said they had stolen other Golf Carts at various locations in St. George.”

Cecil E. Tuua’s booking photo posted Nov. 20, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Upon further interview, Tuua and Bryner acknowledged the recent sale of the golf cart, that they had advertised online, for cash and the pistol.

“They confessed to having stolen this cart from South Gate Golf Course,” Taylor wrote. This golf cart had been valued at $2,300.

After Tuua and Bryner consented to a search of the house and vehicle, investigators located the pistol and recovered the $200 from Bryner who advised investigators that there was a stolen golf cart inside of the garage, according to the statement, and this golf cart was found to be stolen from Oasis Palms Apartment Complex and valued at $5,000.

A stolen flatbed single-axle trailer, with a reported value of $1,000, was also discovered parked in the driveway in front of the house.

“The suspects stated they had found the trailer and had not stolen it but also stated they thought it was possibly stolen,” Taylor wrote in the statement. “The suspects admitted they had used the trailer to transport stolen Golf Carts to their residence for storage.”

Tuua and Bryner were arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

Tuua and Bryner were each charged with one second-degree felony for theft of the golf cart valued at $5,000, one third-degree felony for theft of the golf cart valued at $2,300, a class A misdemeanor for possession of stolen property and a class A misdemeanor for theft by deception.

In addition to the above charges, Bryner was charged with a class A misdemeanor for theft and a third-degree felony for theft.

According to bookings information Tuua’s current bail stands at $18,700, and Bryner’s current bail stands at $25,550.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Editor’s note: The ages of Tuua and Bryner have been corrected.

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Email: astoddard@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post 2 men nabbed on golf cart stealing spree appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — A St. George man and woman were arrested Saturday after police found them in possession of heroin near the parking lot of the Red Rock Canyon School at 747 E St George Blvd. in St. George.

St. George Police Officer Seth LeFevre was patrolling on a mountain bike Saturday at approximately 3:15 p.m. near the Red Rock Canyon School when he witnessed Daniel Ratliff smoking a cigarette on a park trail, according to probable cause statements supporting the arrests. Cheramie Pitts was with Ratliff at the time, and the park trail is a no smoking zone, LeFevre said in the statements.

Daniel Ratliff booking photo posted Nov. 22, 2014 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office

After making contact with Ratliff, 26, and Pitts, 24, LeFevre learned that Ratliff had three active warrants out for his arrest and Pitts had one out for her arrest, he said in the statements, and each of them was  accordingly placed under arrest.

After further investigation, LeFevre discovered the vehicle Pitts had driven to the area was registered to a third person. After gaining consent from the vehicle’s owner, LeFevre said in the statements, he conducted a search of the vehicle.

“I located used syringes, a scale, a spoon with burnt residue on it and other drug paraphernalia,” LeFevre said in the statements. “I also located vials of fluid that was labeled as testosterone.”

Both Ratliff and Pitts said they had used heroin just minutes before coming into contact with the police, LeFevre’s probable cause statements said. Ratliff also said a friend had given him the testosterone, and that he did not have a prescription for it.

Because the arrest took place within 10 feet of the Red Rock Canyon School, a drug free zone, all charges against Ratliff and Pitts were enhanced.

Cheramie Pitts booking photo posted Nov. 22, 2014 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office

The two were arrested and booked into Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

In addition to outstanding charges on his warrants, Ratliff was charged with one second-degree felony for possession of heroin; two class A misdemeanors for possession of testosterone and possession of drug paraphernalia; and three class B misdemeanor warrants. Ratliff’s bail is set at $16,295.

In addition to outstanding charges on her warrant, Pitts is charged with one second-degree felony for heroin possession; one class A misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia; and one class B misdemeanor warrant. Her bail is set at $12,680.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Email: dchavez@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post St. George man, woman arrested for heroin possession near school appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — St. George Police responded to two separate collisions Monday in the same location within 30 minutes of each other – both, the result of drivers following too close to the vehicle in front of them.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., a Chevrolet Blazer, a Hyundai van and a PT Cruiser were traveling eastbound near 1200 E. St. George Blvd. When traffic slowed before the diverging diamond interchange, the PT Cruiser hit into the van, which caused the van to hit into the Blazer, St. George Police Sgt. Sam Despain said.

One of the two occupants in the PT Cruiser were transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George with minor injuries, Despain said.

The Blazer and van, both with single-occupants, received minor damages to the back of the vehicles while the PT Cruiser sustained damage to the left front end, Despain said.

The driver of the PT Cruiser was cited for following too close, Despain said.

About 20-30 minutes prior to the three-vehicle collision, a two-vehicle collision, involving a Ford Edge and Range Rover, occurred at the same location.

Despain said the collision was very minor, but cautioned on the importance of keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you while driving.

“They really need to increase their following distance,” he said. “That’s where accidents happen when you follow too close in heavy traffic.”

St. George Police Department, St. George Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to both scenes.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

A PT Cruiser sustains damage following a collision on E. St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 24, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police Department attends to a 3-car collision on E. St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 24, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police and St. George Fire Departments attend to a 3-car collision on E. St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 24, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police Department attends to a 3-car collision on E. St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 24, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A Hyundai Van sustained minor bumper damage following a collision on E. St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 24, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A Chevy Blazer sustained minor bumper damage following a collision on E. St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Nov. 24, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

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The post Following too close results in 2 back-to-back collisions appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE —  A two-car accident on Brigham Road, east of the Pilot Travel Center, occurred Thursday afternoon when a car jumped the median and crossed into oncoming traffic.

At 4:36 p.m., St. George Police was dispatched to the scene of an accident after the driver of a red Chevrolet passenger car, traveling eastbound, crossed over the median and into the westbound lane and continued to travel a short distance before hitting a Buick, St. George Police Sgt. Rich Triplett said.

The driver of the Buick tried to swerve, but the cars still sideswiped each other, Triplett said.

“We’re not 100 percent why (the Chevrolet driver) jumped the median and crossed into traffic,” he said. “She said that her vehicle jerked that direction. Whether that’s true or not, we are not certain.”

No injuries were present and damages were minor to the Buick on the driver side while the Chevrolet sustained two popped tires and damage to the front of the driver side.

The driver of the Chevrolet was cited for driving left of center because she crossed the median into the westbound lane, where she traveled for some distance before hitting the Buick, Triplett said.

Traffic was slowed and directed during the cleanup of the accident scene, which was attended to by the St. George Police Department, St. George Fire Department, and Gold Cross Ambulance.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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The post Driver crosses median into oncoming traffic; 2-vehicle collision appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — Emergency responders attended to two different accidents within 20 minutes on Red Cliffs Drive in St. George Friday afternoon. One of the accidents resulted in two women being transported to the hospital.

Red Cliffs Drive and Mall Drive accident

At 4:21 p.m., emergency personnel responded to a two-car collision in which a white passenger car crashed into a silver passenger car that was waiting in the right turning lane to turn from Mall Drive onto Red Cliffs Drive. St. George Police Sgt. Rich Triplett said the silver car was waiting at a red light and the white car behind it failed to stop, hitting it.

A male and female occupied the silver passenger car. The male complained of neck pain following the accident and was attended to by Gold Cross Ambulance responders but was not transported to the hospital. No other injuries were reported, and no cars were towed from the scene, Triplett said.

The woman driving the white passenger car was cited for failure to obey a traffic signal, Triplett said.

Red Cliffs Drive accident

About 20 minutes later, at 4:42 p.m., emergency responders were dispatched to a three-car collision at 1680 E. Red Cliffs Drive. The adult male driver of a Toyota Tacoma was traveling eastbound on Red Cliffs Drive when he attempted to reached for some change in his pocket and did not notice that traffic had stopped in front of him, St. George Police Sgt. Rich Triplett said. The man hit into the back of a Chevrolet HHR, which, in turn, hit into a Pontiac G6 in front of it.

Gold Cross Ambulance responds to two accidents within 20 minutes on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

The two female occupants of the Chevrolet were transported by Gold Cross Ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center. Triplett said he did not know the extent of their injuries. No other injuries were reported.

All vehicles involved in the collision were able to be driven from the scene. The driver of the Toyota was cited for following too close.

The Utah Department of Transportation directed traffic and closed off the right lane until the accident scene was cleared at 5:20 p.m.

The St. George Police Department, St. George Fire and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to both incidents.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by responders on scene and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

Gold Cross Ambulance responds to two accidents within 20 minutes on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police officers respond to an accident on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Gold Cross Ambulance responds to two accidents within 20 minutes on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Two cars collide in the right turning lane at the intersection of Mall Drive and Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

Two cars collide in the right turning lane at the intersection of Mall Drive and Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

UDOT provides traffic direction at an accident scene on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

St. George Police officers respond to an accident on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

A Chevrolet HHR and a Pontiac G6 sit at the side of the road after a collision on Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah, Nov. 28, 2014 | Photo by Holly Coombs, St. George News

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The post 2 collisions within 20 minutes on Red Cliffs Drive; 2 taken to hospital appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE — A St. George man and woman were arrested Sunday after police found them in possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and multiple weapons.

At approximately 9 a.m., St. George Police Officer Mike Christensen ran the license plate of a car traveling south on 700 East and discovered the vehicle registration was expired and the car insurance came back as “not found,” Christensen wrote in the probable cause statements supporting the arrests.

Before dispatch came back with the information, the driver of the car pulled into the driveway of a home located at 600 E. 700 S. in St. George and parked, Christensen said in the statement. When Christensen received the information from dispatch, he turned back around and made contact with the vehicle occupants.

Ezra Kunz, of St. George, Utah, booking photo posted Nov. 30, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Christensen identified the driver of the vehicle as 23-year-old Ezra Loyal Kunz and his passenger as 18-year-old Arial Carter. At least one other passenger was seen in the vehicle as well, Christensen said in the statement, but left the area before Christensen arrived.

Kunz, who was also found to be driving on a suspended license, said the vehicle belonged to his father and that it was uninsured, Christensen said. Kunz consented to a search and said he occasionally drove the vehicle and that some of his personal items were inside.

“Inside (Kunz’s) right front shirt pocket, I located a clear plastic baggie with a white crystal like substance inside,” Christensen said in a statement. “Based on my training and experience, I suspected this was methamphetamine.”

Carter also consented to the search of a purse officers found inside the car, Christensen said. Inside, police found two glass pipes with residue inside of them.

One pipe contained a white-crystal-like substance and another had a burnt substance inside, the statement said. Carter said she knew the pipes were there, and had used the pipes on Saturday.

During an inventory of the vehicle, officers also located a pair of brass knuckles, a long “bayonet type” knife and another knife approximately six to eight inches long, Christensen said in a statement.

Ariel Carter, of St. George, Utah, booking photo posted Nov. 30, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

“This (shorter) knife was located tucked between the center console and the driver’s seat,” Christensen said. “The other knife was approximately 15-inches long and was located in the trunk of the vehicle.”

Both Kunz and Carter were arrested and booked into Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility on Sunday.

All drug charges against the two were enhanced because Christensen witnessed the vehicle within 1,000 feet of an LDS Church and Dixie State College, according to the statements.

Kunz was charged with one second-degree felony for possession of methamphetamine; two class-A misdemeanors for possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon; and two class C misdemeanors for driving without registration and on a denied license. His bail is set at $6,000.

Carter was charged with one second-degree felony for possession of methamphetamine, and one class A misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bail is set at $6,000.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Twitter: @STGnews

The post Two arrested after police find meth, variety of weapons appeared first on St George News.