WASHINGTON COUNTY — A foot pursuit that lasted for nearly an hour ended in the arrest of a St. George man Thursday after multiple agencies joined forces near state Route 7 in Washington County.

The incident began Wednesday when Washington County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of SR-7 and Washington Dam Road on what was initially an unrelated incident involving a possible drunk driver, Washington County Sheriff’s Lt. Dave Crouse said.

Deputies located a man, later identified as Virgil Wayne Coles of St. George, who officers suspected of driving under the influence and then discovered he had an active warrant out of Washington County.

The man was transported to Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility a short time later and booked on suspicion of DUI, as well as for the warrant, Crouse said.

During the investigation police also learned that the woman Coles was found with Wednesday, Sally Ann Christensen, had an order of protection filed against Coles, an order that was still in effect.

On Thursday, deputies returned to the location to follow up with Christensen on the alleged protective order violation, and according to a witness, found the couple hitch-hiking together on SR-7.

During the subsequent investigation, deputies found that Christensen had an unrelated, active misdemeanor warrant out of the Iron County Justice Court, and she was taken into custody and transported to jail.

Meanwhile, deputies advised Coles that he was in violation of the protective order and began placing him under arrest. Instead of complying, however, Coles fled on foot toward an area near the Virgin River, with deputies close behind.

Additional officers, including a K-9 unit, were called in to help search.

A short time later, the K-9 led officers to the man’s location. With the K-9 barking, the officers approached Coles and ordered him to comply, which he did, Crouse said.

Coles was handcuffed and taken into custody without any further incident, before being transported and booked into jail for the protective order violation and failing to stop at an officer’s command, both class A misdemeanors.

Cole is being held on $3,900 bail, and remains in custody at the writing of this report.  Christensen is being held on $680 bail on the warrant and also remains in jail at this time.

Thursday’s incident, with the dual arrest and prolonged search that continued for nearly an hour, was a two-hour ordeal, Crouse said, and one injury was reported.

Crouse went on to say that a deputy “became tangled up in a barbed-wire fence, and was later checked out by medical personnel for minor injuries.”

Washington County Sheriff’s deputies were joined by the K-9 unit as well as multiple officers dispatched from the Hurricane Police Department, Washington City Police Department and the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. 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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ST. GEORGE — A St. George man was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly breaking into a utility trailer in Santa Clara and stealing construction tools located inside.

William Frank Owen, 25, was charged with third-degree felony theft along with two class B misdemeanors for possession of burglary tools and criminal mischief involving intentional damage to property, according to information filed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office.

Owen used bolt cutters to cut the locks off a parked utility trailer with the intent of committing theft, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department in support of the arrest.

The owner of the trailer notified police after reportedly watching Owen take construction tools from the trailer and place them in a backpack, the report states.

When Owen was apprehended by police on North Lava Cove Drive just before 9 a.m. Wednesday, he admitted to breaking into the trailer to steal the tools, the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement.

Owen was arrested and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility. He remains in police custody as this report publishes and is scheduled to appear before Judge John Walton in 5th District Court Monday.

According to Utah Court documents, Owen has a criminal history involving theft and drug-related offenses.

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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ST. GEORGE — A man was arrested Monday evening after rolling his car down an embankment on Red Hills Parkway.

St. George Police responded to the crash involving a white passenger car at the intersection of Red Hills Parkway and Cottonwood Springs Drive at 7:18 p.m.

“He was traveling eastbound on Red Hills Parkway. He estimated his speeds to be going about 50, maybe 60 mph,” St. George Police officer Jace Hutchings said.

“He decided at the last minute to take a left turn onto Cottonwood Springs Drive,” Hutchings said, “and didn’t make the turn in time.”

The car went off the road and rolled down a steep embankment, coming to rest upside down in a field below.

“He was able to take off his seat belt and exit his vehicle and walk up the hill,” Hutchings said.

Medical responders arrived to examine the driver, Hutchings said, but he had no visible injuries.

“We could smell the odor of alcohol coming from his breath when we spoke with him,” Hutchings said.

Police had the man perform a series of standardized field sobriety tests.

“Through those tests,” Hutchings said, “he indicated that he was too impaired under the influence of alcohol to safely operate his vehicle.”

The man was arrested and went to the hospital for medical clearance before being booked into jail.

“While I’m inventorying the car,” Hutchings said, “if I come across alcohol or something to that effect, that will most likely be an additional charge to the DUI.”

A wrecker was sent the scene to remove and transport the heavily damaged car to state impound.

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

Email: jwitham@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE – After a year-long investigation, police have arrested two men accused of committing acts of vandalism in Springdale.

In March 2017, the Springdale Police Department reported that several small trees around the town hall had been cut down and irrigation lines had been damaged. Other areas that were damaged included the town’s pickleball facility, cemetery and River Park.

Read more: Reward offered for info concerning Springdale vandalism incidents

The damage was estimated to run around $20,000.

The primary suspect in the case was 52-year-old Shane Curtis Lowery, of Hurricane, according to a probable cause statement. Lowery was noted to have been fired from working for Springdale Town a few months prior to the incident.

During the vandalism incident, police found feces, urine and a substance called “skunk oil” left in several areas, as well as the irrigation system.

“We were able to locate video footage of Shane (Lowery) buying the ‘skunk oil’ at a local store,” the arresting police officer wrote in the statement. “The skunk oil Shane bought was the same package and size as the one located at the crime scene.”

Witnesses put Lowery in the area where the vandalism occurred, and also told police he allegedly “bragged about the incident.”

Police were also told by a witness last week about a white pickup truck that had driven Lowery into town the day of the incident. The truck was allegedly driven by Scott Stone, 41, of Hurricane.

The police reviewed more video footage from local businesses and were able to find the white pickup.

“The time of the footage was consistent with the time the damage occurred,” the arresting officer wrote in the statement.

The officer made contact with Stone at his home in Hurricane and informed him of his Miranda rights. He then told Stone he had video footage of Stone, his vehicle and Lowery.

“I asked Steven how much he had to do with (the vandalism),” the officer wrote. “Steven said, ‘not a f—ing thing, dude.’”

Stone made similar statements to police as they continued question him, also saying he had “no clue” as to what Lowery’s plans were when he gave him a ride into town the day of the incident.

“‘You have put me in a hard position,’” Stone said, according to the statement. “‘I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t do any of that, I had no f—ing clue. Honestly, I didn’t know.’”

Stone continued to deny any knowledge of Lowery’s plan to vandalize parts of the city and said he guessed it was time to get an attorney.

Stone was taken into custody Sunday while Lowery was picked up at his place of employment Monday.

Both Lowery and Stone were arrested and charged with second-degree felonies for criminal mischief related to intentionally defacing, damaging or destroying property. They were booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility and subsequently released on bond by Tuesday.

Both men have court appearances set for March 26.

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

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler

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ST. GEORGE — A Southern Utah man was arrested on first-degree felony drug distribution charges Friday following the execution of a search warrant by the Washington County Drug Task Force.

The task force conducted a narcotics distribution investigation into 52-year-old Stanley Swickey, of Hurricane, and executed a search warrant of his residence on the 800 South block of 100 West, according to a probable cause statement filed by the task force in support of the arrest.

During a search of Swickey’s bedroom, authorities allegedly located a black bag on his bed that contained four large baggies and a smaller baggie with a white crystal substance inside that later tested positive for methamphetamine, the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement, adding:

Also inside this zipper bag was a large amount of small empty baggies that connote distribution.

Authorities also allegedly located $1,113 in cash, along with a marijuana joint, a glass pipe with meth residue, a clear container that also contained meth and a digital scale on bedside table, the report states.

“The fact that this methamphetamine weighed consistent with a distributable amount, along with the presence of many empty baggies, a scale and cash, probable cause exist to charge Stanley (Swickey) with intent to distribute,” the officer wrote. “Due to Stanley’s significant criminal history as it relates to (drug) distribution and possession with intent, this offense has been enhanced to a first-degree felony.”

Read more: Two arrested on narcotics distribution charges

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Swickey of first-degree felony drug possession with the intent to distribute, class A misdemeanor drug possession and class B misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Swickey was subsequently released from police custody on $25,000 bail pending trial. He is scheduled to appear before 5th District Judge G. Michael Westfall Monday for his next court appearance.

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

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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ST. GEORGE — A St. George man was arrested Friday after allegedly breaking into a St. George apartment and stealing the resident’s dog.

Officers responded to a residence on the 80 South block of 1000 East on a report of a burglary in which the resident had returned home from work to find someone had broken into his home and stole his dog that he bought for $3,000, according to a probable cause statement filed by St. George Police in support of the arrest.

The resident told authorities he suspected that a former roommate – identified as Nicholas Warner, 20, of St. George – had broken into the residence to steal his dog, using a numerical code on the front door lock that had not been changed, the report states.

Officers later located Warner at his new residence on the 3400 South block of Barcelona Drive, according to the statement.

When questioned, Warner admitted that he went to the apartment to get a haircut from another roommate who ended up being out of town and, while there, took the dog, the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement, adding:

Nicholas (Warner) heard the dog whining in Tony’s room and, having lived in the same room as (the resident) previously, he knew that (the resident) was abusive toward his dog. Therefore, he took the dog and then proceeded to ‘wipe down’ and clean up after himself so that he wouldn’t leave any evidence behind.

Warner further told police he was preparing to give the dog to a girl, so it would be taken care of properly, but that plan fell through when the girl could no longer take the dog, the officer wrote.

After placing Warner under arrest for stealing the dog, authorities located a plastic baggie containing marijuana on his person, the report states.

Warner was transported and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Warner of second-degree felony burglary of a dwelling, third-degree felony theft and two class B misdemeanor counts of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Warner was subsequently released from police custody on $16,360 bail pending trial. He is scheduled to appear before 5th District Judge G. Michael Westfall Monday for his initial court appearance.

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

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — Police responded to a bloody scene after a Washington City man struck another man in the head during an altercation Tuesday.

Just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a report of a burglary on the 300 East block of Palo Verde Drive, where it was reported that a man, identified as 26-year-old David Joseph Diaz-Vega, was trying to break into the residence, according to a probable cause statement filed by Washington City Police in support of the arrest.

Officers further received a report that Diaz-Vega had assaulted another person, the report states. When officers arrived on scene, they found Diaz-Vega with blood on his pants, hands and nose. He reportedly refused to comment on what had happened.

When officers questioned the homeowner, she said she was in the process of evicting Diaz-Vega when an argument ensued, according to the report. When the homeowner’s friend tried to intervene, Diaz-Vega and the friend wound up in a physical altercation.

After the homeowner heard a “ding,” she saw pieces of a broken cooking pot and observed her friend bleeding profusely from the back of the head. She told police that Diaz-Vega had hit her friend in the back of the head with the pot, the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement, adding:

I observed a large amount of blood on the front stairs and on the walls of the residence. I also saw broken pieces of the handle from the pot. The broken pieces appeared to be from the handle of the metal cooking pot. I later located the cooking pot in the street near David’s (Diaz-Vega) vehicle.

The officer tried to talk with the friend, who was reportedly severely intoxicated and stated that he had hit his head outside but didn’t specifically say Diaz-Vega hit him with the pot, the officer wrote, noting:

(The friend) had a large gash in the back of this head and it appeared to require staples or stitches. The gash was approximately 1-inch long by .5-inch wide.

However, the friend declined to be transported to the hospital for medical treatment, the report states.

Diaz-Vega was arrested and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Diaz-Vega of class A misdemeanor assault causing substantial bodily injury.

Diaz-Vega appeared before 5th District Judge John Walton Wednesday for a court arraignment. As this report publishes, he remains in police custody.

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

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — A St. George mother was arrested for child endangerment Wednesday after three of her four young children allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine.

On March 8, St. George Police detectives were assigned to follow up on a child abuse case after receiving a tip from the Division of Child and Family Services that a mother had been using methamphetamine around her children in the family’s RV on the 2700 East block of 350 North, according to a probable cause statement filed by St. George Police in support of the arrest.

The mother, identified as 35-year-old Britnie Alice Leonard, was questioned by police after hair samples were taken from her four children and three of the children tested positive for meth, the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement. Leonard subsequently denied smoking meth around her children.

During the investigation, authorities reportedly listened to incriminating statements made during jail phone recordings between Britnie Leonard and her husband, 31-year-old Dennis Leonard, who was arrested Feb. 5 and incarcerated at Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility for aggravated assault, the report states.

In the recordings, Dennis Leonard allegedly admitted that he and his wife had smoked meth around the couple’s children, according to the statement. During the conversation, Britnie Leonard reportedly tells Dennis Leonard she did not smoke meth around the kids but talks about having knowledge that her husband and others did.

When Dennis Leonard was interviewed at the jail March 19 by police, he allegedly admitted that he had used meth in the couple’s RV where he lived with his wife and children and that he put “up blankets to prevent the smoke from getting to his kids,” the officer wrote.

Britnie Leonard was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Britnie Leonard of four third-degree felony counts of endangerment of a child. She is scheduled to appear before 5th District Judge John Walton Thursday afternoon for her initial appearance.

A third-degree felony count of child endangerment was added to Dennis Leonard’s charges Monday.

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

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — Two men have been arrested on charges of stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of property from a storage unit in St. George.

Police initially arrested 31-year-old Rudy Martin Alafa, of St. George, March 9 on burglary and several other charges. His alleged accomplice, 36-year-old Jason Richard Gubler, of St. George, was arrested Thursday on a charge of burglary.

The burglary was initially reported Dec. 14, 2017, at a storage facility located at 162 N. 400 East.

The owner of the stolen property provided police with video surveillance footage showing two men entering and leaving the storage facility with the stolen property, according to separate probable cause statements written in support of Alafa’s and Gubler’s arrest.

One of the men in the video is clearly identified as Alafa, according to police.

“The victim reported $15,000 worth of items taken out of the storage unit,” police wrote in the statement.

While serving warrants for arrest on unrelated charges, police questioned Alafa about the storage unit burglary, to which he admitted, according to the police statement, which further stated that he said he didn’t remember where the stolen property was.

He refused to provide information about the other person in the video, police said in the statement.

Alafa was then arrested, searched and allegedly found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and a substance suspected to be methamphetamine.

Alafa was booked into jail on charges of third-degree burglary, second-degree felony theft and misdemeanor charges relating to drug possession.

Police later met with Gubler Thursday to question him about the burglary.

“He admitted to being with Rudy and assisting him at the storage facility,” police said in the statement.

According to the statement, Gubler said he didn’t know where the stolen property was. He was then arrested and booked into jail on a single third-degree felony charge of burglary.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Email: jwitham@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

CEDAR CITY — An 18-year-old Cedar City man was arrested and booked into jail after allegedly stabbing a 17-year-old male in a fight late Saturday night, police said.

Cedar City Police Sgt. Jerry Womack said the incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. when a call to dispatch reported a fight between two teenage individuals.

The caller reported that an adult male, later identified as Koby Layne Slack, 18, was holding a knife to the throat of a 17-year-old male, Womack said. 

“The caller also stated Koby was intoxicated,” Womack said.

Slack fled the scene before officers arrived but was located a short time later in the foothills east of the Fiddlers Canyon area and taken into custody. The initial incident took place in the vicinity of Hovi Hills Drive.

“The minor had a stab wound to the side which was not life-threatening,” Womack said, before adding the victim was transported to Cedar City Hospital for treatment.

Slack was also reportedly injured during the altercation, receiving a minor cut on his hand. He was booked into Iron County Jail early Sunday morning on suspicion of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony, along with three misdemeanor offenses, namely criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and alcohol consumption by a minor.

Police said the exact relationship between the individuals involved has not yet been confirmed but noted the investigation is still active and ongoing

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Email: jrichards@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

CEDAR CITY — A man whose home caught fire New Year’s Eve has been charged with intentionally setting the blaze.

Investigators said Clare Eugene Prisbrey, 52, deliberately started the fire at his home at 1074 Mill Hollow Way.

Firefighters were called to the scene about 10:20 p.m. on Dec. 31 and spent the next several hours extinguishing the fire.

The two-story, 2,782-square foot residence was considered a total loss, authorities said.

Read more: Cause into New Year’s Eve house fire under investigation

After determining they had probable cause to make an arrest, Cedar City Police took Prisbrey into custody Tuesday evening and booked him into the Iron County Jail on suspicion of aggravated arson, a first-degree felony.

Cedar City Police Lt. Jimmy Roden said from the onset, investigators noticed “suspicious things in the home that were not typical for just a normal house fire.”

Roden said he couldn’t speak to specific details regarding the evidence, but said local police and fire authorities were assisted by investigators from the Utah State Fire Marshal’s office in collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses over the past several weeks.

“Some of the evidence didn’t come to light until recently,” Roden added. “We have responsibility to be thorough to ensure that we’re making the correct decisions.

“I can’t speak to their investigation, but we really do lean heavily on their findings as far as point of origin, whether or not there was accelerators present and those kinds of things.”

An initial information was filed in Fifth Judicial District Court Wednesday by Iron County Attorney Scott Garrett. According to that document, Prisbrey currently resides in Enoch. He will be represented by Gary W. Pendelton, who filed notice as Prisbrey’s counsel with the court Friday.

Aggravated arson is punishable by up to 25 years to life in prison without parole.

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

Email: jrichards@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — A man and woman were arrested in St. George Thursday after police responded to a reported robbery only to find the report was falsely made after an alleged dispute between the two suspects over payment for sex.

Fortino Jimenez, of Hurricane, and Jashonda Denise Lucas, of Los Angeles, were arrested and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane on charges relating to prostitution and sexual solicitation.

Police responded to a call from Lucas reporting that she had been robbed by Jimenez.

Lucas filled out a witness statement stating she had met with Jimenez to buy a phone, and he took $180 from her, a probable cause statement written by a St. George Police officer in support of the arrests states.

However, after signing the witness statement, Lucas allegedly admitted to police in a post-Miranda interview that she was never going to buy a phone.

“She admitted to posting an ad on a known prostitution website and meeting with Fortino to ‘hang out’ in exchange for money,” the arrest report states, noting that Lucas said they never agreed to any sex acts.

Police contacted Jimenez who agreed to speak with investigators. After being read his Miranda rights, according to the police report, Jimenez stated he had agreed to pay Lucas a specific amount of money in exchange for a sex act.

Jimenez told police he only meant to prank Lucas but met with her at a specific location and brought the previously agreed upon price, according to the probable cause statement.

Based on a written statement by Jimenez, police said they determined the two had agreed to exchange money for sex.

Lucas was charged with misdemeanor counts of completing a false written statement and sexual solicitation. She remains in custody on $1,360 bond at the time of this report.

Jimenez was charged with patronizing a prostitute, a class A misdemeanor. He was released from custody on $1,950 bond.

Neither suspect has any prior record of criminal history in Utah.

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

Email: jwitham@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE – A 33-year-old man suspected of stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from department stores in Hurricane, St. George and Washington City was arrested last week.

John Diedrich, who has an address listed out of Clovis, California, was arrested Wednesday after a security officer observed his actions at the Hurricane Walmart, according to a probable cause statement written in support of his arrest. Diedrich was allegedly seen putting items in two bags and then hiding them in the store before leaving.

The security officer inventoried items in one of the bags before Diedrich returned to retrieve it, estimating the items’ collective value to be $2,360.

Diedrich returned to the store a third time and allegedly started filling up a cart with items. He was recognized by security and subsequently detained while the Hurricane City Police Department was contacted and an officer responded. Diedrich was taken into custody by police and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane.

While Diedrich was at the county jail, a Washington City department store contacted police about a theft that a store associate believed Diedrich had committed there last month.

The responding police officer was told that Diedrich entered the store Feb. 27 and took items and placed them in a reusable bag that he hid in the men’s department of the store. He would later return and leave with the items in the bag without paying, according to the police report; the total value of the items in the bag was $1,902.

The responding Washington City Police officer wrote in the statement that he was able to identify Diedrich as the man involved in the Washington City theft by comparing previous photos of the man with new ones taken at the Hurricane Walmart.

When asked if he had taken merchandise from the Washington City store, Diedrich told the officer he didn’t remember, nor did he recall going to the Washington City store, according to the probable cause statement.

The next day, a St. George Police officer responded to a “delayed retail theft” report at the Bloomington Walmart. The officer was told about two instances in which Diedrich was again believed to be involved.

On the same day as the alleged Washington City theft, police said Diedrich went to the Bloomington Walmart and put assorted electronics in “a large reusable bag” and left without paying the estimated $1,528 value of the items. He would return March 18 and do the same thing, this time leaving with over $4,700-worth of electronics merchandise.

“I compared surveillance footage and confirmed it was the same male suspect arrested in Hurricane as the thefts in St. George,” the responding St. George Police officer wrote.

The collective estimated value of all the items taken from the department stores was over $10,000.

Diedrich was subsequently charged with three third-degree felonies and one second-degree felony for the alleged retail thefts.

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

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE – Police took a Parowan man into custody Tuesday after he allegedly beat his wife and threatened to kill her.

Police responded to a weapons offense at the home of 64-year-old George Henry Strain in Parowan, according to the probable cause statement. Strain’s wife told police her husband had hit her repeatedly with a knife and was threatening her with it. He also told her he was going to kill her.

As Strain’s wife attempted to get away from him, he hit her head into a door, according to the statement.

“It should also be noted that (Strain’s wife) is disabled and in a wheelchair,” the responding Parowan Police officer wrote in the statement. “She needs constant assistance to do daily chores.”

The woman called for help and her son responded and he was able to get her away from Strain. He and other witnesses told police they had seen Strain with a knife in his hand as he attacked the woman.

The officer wrote that he “could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” coming from Strain, who admitted to having “several shots of liquor.”

Because Strain told police that he would “get on a Greyhound Bus and never come back,” the responding officer classified him as a possible risk to others in the community, as well as a flight risk.

Strain was booked into the Iron County Correctional Facility and charged with a third-degree felony for aggravated assault and misdemeanors for the intentional abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult and intoxication.

Bail has been set at $15,000 according to court records.

Though Strain used a knife during the assault, the police report did not go into any detail concerning possible injuries the woman may have received during the assault.

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

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — A man who told police he was just going for a “joy ride” in a city-owned golf cart was arrested Wednesday.

Police arrested Ian Nathaniel Shaw, 36, of St. George, on charges of theft, failing to stop on an officer’s command and trespassing.

Employees at the St. George Waste Services Department, at 2170 West Treatment Plant Rd., noticed Shaw trespassing on the property and called police during the late afternoon, according to a probable cause statement written in support of the arrest.

Employees told police that Shaw began operating a city-owned golf cart at the plant.

In an attempt to stop him, several employees boxed him in with other vehicles, which caused Shaw to get out of the cart and run toward an open field near the SunRiver Club House, according to the police report.

As responding police circulated the area, they located Shaw walking in the Virgin River.

Officers told Shaw he was being detained and to walk toward them. According to the probable cause statement, he initially refused to follow police orders before officers managed to take him into custody.

When asked why he refused to follow orders, Shaw allegedly told the arresting officer that he was told by a friend that police can’t arrest somebody who’s in the river.

“Ian also stated he did not ‘steal’ a golf cart,” the officer wrote. “He claimed he only rode it around the property ‘joy riding.’”

Police charged Shaw with one third degree felony count of theft for allegedly stealing the golf cart, estimated to be valued at $3,000. He was also charged with misdemeanor counts of failing to stop on officer command and trespassing.

Shaw was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility and subsequently released on $7,500 bond.

According to Utah court records, Shaw has faced numerous charges in Salt Lake and Duchesne counties relating to theft, assault and drug violations.

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

Email: jwitham@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — Two teens were arrested for allegedly committing an armed robbery in a Washington City apartment Monday. Another suspect, however, is still at large.

Diego Jasper Wellhoff, 18, was arrested in Santa Clara without incident, said Ed Kantor, public information officer for the Washington City Police Department. He was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated robbery, as well as misdemeanor charges for possession of spice and tobacco as a minor. Wellhoff was released from jail Wednesday after posting $25,000 bail.

Read more: Teenagers allegedly pull gun on man, rob apartment in Washington City

Another 17-year-old suspect was arrested and booked into the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center, although he isn’t being named because he’s under 18, Kantor said.

The investigation is still ongoing because the other juvenile suspect has not yet been arrested, Kantor said, adding that police don’t believe there is an immediate danger to the public.

“We believe it was just a dispute between the suspects and the victim,” Kantor said, “and we don’t believe they are a danger to the public.”

Wellhoff and his juvenile accomplices are accused of pulling a gun on a man in an apartment off North Millcreek Springs Drive in Washington City Monday.

They were let into the apartment by the man who lived there after they told him they left a bong there, said Taylor Crosby, the owner of the apartment.

They stole about $1,000 worth of designer clothes, an Apple TV system, Samsung Galaxy Note8 cell phone, sound bar speaker system and a drone, Crosby said, estimating that the total cost of everything taken is about $2,500.

Crosby said the incident has inspired him to start looking for ways to better protect his property.

“I feel like I either need to invest in either a pistol or a shotgun for home defense,” Crosby said.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Email: sricks@stgnews.com

Twitter:  @STGnews | @SpencerRicks

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — A woman was arrested in Washington County Sunday after deputies say they found her living with her two young children in unsafe, “filthy” conditions with no immediate access to food.

Virginia Mary Martinez, 39, was charged with one third-degree felony count of child abuse and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility on $5,000 bond.

Washington County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in the Shivwits Indian Reservation on report of a loud argument between Martinez and an adult male.

Responding deputies said Martinez appeared to be intoxicated and was easily agitated and hard to reason with, according a probable cause statement written in support of the arrest.

“The inside of the trailer was destroyed,” the arresting officer wrote of Martinez’ residence, noting that there were holes in the walls, floors and ceiling.

The officer noted that two children were living inside, a 2-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy.

“Both kids were very dirty and did not appear that they were being cared for very well,” the officer wrote.

The boy appeared to have mud all over him and had bruising and a rash on his body, according to the police report. The officer said the child was eating what appeared to be old noodles that were drying out and changing color.

The girl’s hair was matted down, and she was suffering from a skin condition, according to the probable cause statement.

The arresting officer described the home as having inadequate toilet and bathing facilities and being infested with bugs and cockroaches. Both children appeared to have possible bug bites, the report stated.

Deputies had previously responded to the residence days before and observed the 2-year-old girl playing on the home’s broken porch. Deputies advised Martinez to keep the girl away from the edge, to which she responded by saying her daughter knows better because she had already fallen off it before, according to the police report.

At that point, the girl fell off the porch, according to police, and medical personnel were called to the home to evaluate the girl.

A caseworker from the Division of Child and Family Services of the state’s Department of Human Services was called to the residence Sunday, who, upon interviewing Martinez, found the family had no food in the home and no means of transportation to acquire some, according to the police report, which also noted that the 2-year-old’s condition required her to be in a sterile environment.

DCFS has taken custody of the children.

Martinez is currently jailed at Purgatory Correctional Facility on unrelated charges of assault and intoxication. Washington County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to St. George News’ request for information about the unrelated charges Friday.

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. note: Report revised to include information about unrelated charges for which Martinez is currently jailed.

Email: jwitham@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

IRON COUNTY — A man is in jail on suspicion of burglary after police say he was found taking items from a residence in Iron County and subsequently taken into custody via citizen’s arrest Saturday. A short while later, a house fire was reported across the street, and police believe the incidents are connected.

Michael Lamoyne Cross, 49, of Cedar City, was arrested by Iron County Sheriff’s deputies Saturday afternoon and booked into jail on charges of theft and burglary. He was also charged with first-degree felony arson hours later.

Deputies responded to the initial report of burglary at a residence near Tipple Road in Schurtz Canyon two miles south of Cedar City at approximately 11:35 a.m.

The residents of the house located a man, later identified as Cross, in their backyard removing items from a shed, according to a news release issued by Iron County Sheriff’s Office. The residents performed a citizen’s arrest and took Cross into custody without incident. Cross was then turned over to deputies.

About half an hour later, a structure fire was reported at the house directly across the street from the home at which Cross was detained, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Upon arrival, deputies found the house completely engulfed in flames. The house was vacant at the time of the fire.

Cedar City Fire Department responded to extinguish the fire.

“It is believed at this time that these two events are related,” the Sheriff’s Office stated. “The circumstances surrounding the fire are currently under investigation.”

Police have not released any additional information about how the incidents are connected at the time of this report.

This is a developing story.

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

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

The aftermath of a house fire near Tipple Road in Iron County, Utah, April 14, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

The aftermath of a house fire near Tipple Road in Iron County, Utah, April 14, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

The aftermath of a house fire near Tipple Road in Iron County, Utah, April 14, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

The aftermath of a house fire near Tipple Road in Iron County, Utah, April 14, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

Michael Lamoyne Cross, 49, of Cedar City, bookings photo posted April 14, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.