Police Arrest Suspect Wanted For Running Over Store Clerk
Jan 5, 2021, 2:18 PM | Updated: 4:22 pm
Surveillance showed the confrontation between a suspect and a store clerk, who was listed in critical condition. (West Jordan Police Department)
(West Jordan Police Department)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Officials with the Salt Lake City Police Department said they arrested a man who was wanted for allegedly running over a store clerk several times after a shoplifting incident last month.
Kelly Vaugh Burge, 23, was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on charges of criminal homicide, aggravated robbery, obstruction of justice and leaving the scene of an accident.
The charges are related to a shoplifting incident at Smokey’s Discount Cigarettes at 1597 West 9000 South in West Jordan on Dec. 21.
The clerk, Zachary Allen, was run over several times after he followed a suspect who reportedly took several items from the store. Allen was in critical condition after the incident but is now recovering.
West Jordan police released photos and surveillance video that showed the incident. Two tipsters later contacted police and identified Burke as the driver of the car after seeing news reports of the incident.
The first tipster said Burke was a friend. He confronted Burke about the incident and court documents said Burke admitted to running over the clerk. The court document said Burke relayed details of the incident to his friend that were not released by police.
The second tipster told police that she watched news reports that showed the suspect. The court document said she told police she worked with Burke’s wife. The tipster said Burke had been in her store before the incident at the smoke shop and was wearing the same clothing and drove the same car that was shown on the news.
On Christmas Day, Burke was arrested in connection with a robbery and hit and run in West Valley City, according to the court document. Police said Burke was driving the same car that ran over the store clerk at the smoke shop.
The court document said Zachary Allen, the clerk, was shown a photo lineup. “Zachary noted that the photo containing Kelly Burge resembles the suspect regarding this case.”
“An interview of Kelly was conducted at the Salt Lake County Jail,” according to the document. “Post Miranda, Kelly admitted to entering the smoke shop and taking items. He admitted that he was driving his wife’s vehicle and running over the victim several times.”
Court records also show that Burke’s wife filed a petition for divorce last week.
