Identity Released Of Suspect Who Struck UHP Car, Fled Scene
Aug 8, 2019, 7:02 PM | Updated: 10:46 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A dangerous and wanted fugitive is off the streets thanks in part to a couple of Utah Highway Patrol troopers who did some good, old fashion police work.
Officials said 27-year-old Cory Martin fled the scene after rear-ending another trooper’s patrol car Wednesday night on Interstate 215 near Redwood Road.
About an hour later, Trooper Kelley Jensen found Martin hiding underneath a wood deck in the back yard of a home.
“It’s very important to remove him from the streets,” she said. “He had some warrants out, as well as he hit a trooper.
The collision caused the patrol car to crash into the car in front of it. Instead of pulling off to the side of the road, troopers said Martin got back into his vehicle and drove away. He apparently ditched his SUV at around 6800 S. and State Street, and took off running into a neighborhood.
Trooper Jensen and Sgt. Justin Dial canvased the neighborhood and found out Martin had jumped a backyard fence.
“I noticed there was a large deck and I thought it’s probably hollow underneath because most decks are, and I became suspicious of where someone could be hiding,” said Jensen. “I used my flashlight and noticed there was a shoe under the deck (and) thought to myself, it could be a person.”
She was right, and said Martin fortunately was not armed and gave up willingly.
“He’s somebody who doesn’t have a lot of respect for the community and doesn’t have a lot of respect to the laws that 99 percent of us abide by,” said Sgt. Dial.
