Wanted felon arrested after running from police, barricading inside SLC motel room

SALT LAKE CITY — A wanted felon was arrested Thursday night in Salt Lake City after police say he ran from officers during a traffic stop and barricaded himself inside a motel room.

It all began at 8:37 p.m. Thursday when an officer tried to stop a man on his bicycle for a traffic violation near 850 W. North Temple Street.

The man, later identified as 44-year-old Juan Garibaldi, refused to stop and took off, according to a press release from the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Additional officers were called out to look for Garibaldi, who later ran into a motel room near 700 W. North Temple Street.

“Because of past involvements with Garibaldi, officers believed he may have access to guns and knew he had multiple, felony weapon-related warrants for his arrest,” the release stated.

Police said officers secured the motel and evacuated a portion of it in order to keep the community safe.

The SLCPD SWAT team and a crisis negotiation team, which included social workers, were then called out to assist.

For several hours, crisis negotiators and officers tried to make contact with Garibaldi, but they were not successful.

“After getting a court-authorized search warrant, members of the SLCPD SWAT Team safely entered the motel room and took Garibaldi into custody,” the release stated.

Police said he initially did not comply with SWAT officers, but after several minutes, he finally surrendered.

According to the release, a woman was found inside the motel room where Garibaldi had barricaded himself. She was released after officers determined her involvement in the situation.

No shots were fired during the incident and no injuries were reported.

Garibaldi was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on one count of failure to stop at the command of a police officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, bicycle lamp required, and multiple felony and misdemeanor warrants.