WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Authorities are looking for a suspect who stole a police car in West Valley City Sunday morning after he told officers a false story about a man with a gun.
Lt. Barfus of the West Valley City Police Department said officers were called to a report of domestic violence in the area of 4500 South and 4500 West around 5:45 a.m.
Upon arrival, officers encountered Josh Bell outside, yelling for the officers to get inside and claiming a man was going to kill everyone inside.
When the officers ran in the home, Lt. Barfus says, Bell jumped in the police car and sped off. Lt. Barfus says there was no man inside with a gun.
Officers from other agencies, including the Unified Police Department, joined in on the search for the car. It was located abandoned at nearby Woodledge Park, and all property inside was accounted for.
Lt. Barfus says the suspect drove the car through the park, jumped out near a canal, and fled on foot along the canal trail.
Police are still searching for Bell, and they provided a mug shot of the man taken in May of this year. Anyone who sees the man or knows where he is should call police at 801-840-4000.
