Woman arrested for stealing police cruiser during traffic stop, possession of drugs
Sep 23, 2021, 2:12 PM | Updated: Sep 24, 2021, 3:53 pm
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah – Deputies arrested a woman Wednesday for stealing a police cruiser during a traffic stop.
She received additional charges after deputies found drugs and a handgun in the car she was driving.
Samantha Desiray Holladay, 30, of Salt Lake City, was driving a 2020 Nissan Altima with Boyd Ozzie Murillo, 30, of Salt Lake City in the passenger seat.
A Washington County deputy pulled them over around 7 p.m. for breaking traffic laws.
During the stop, the deputy said he could smell marijuana from inside the car.
The deputy asked Holladay to get out of the Altima and into the cruiser for an investigation.
Murillo remained in the passenger seat of the Altima.
In the police cruiser, the deputy explained to Holladay there was enough probable cause to search the Altima.
Holladay and the deputy both exited the deputy’s cruiser but Holladay re-entered the passenger seat and locked the doors.
That’s when the deputy said Holladay climbed into the driver’s seat of the cruiser and took off.
She headed northbound on I-15 with the emergency lights on.
Law enforcement from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Utah Highway Patrol responded to assist in the chase.
They followed Holladay in the stolen cruiser for a short distance at speeds exceeding 120 mph.
Holladay crashed as a result of going off the road, and deputies arrested her after a short foot pursuit.
Both Murillo and Holladay were on a form of supervised probation, officials said.
In the Altima, law enforcement found 5.2 pounds of suspected cocaine, 15.2 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, approximately $20,000 in US currency, and a stolen handgun.
Charges
Holladay was on probation in Utah.
Deputies arrested and booked Holladay into Purgatory Correctional Facility.
She was booked on multiple drug charges, a stolen firarm charge, and charges relating to the theft of the police cruiser.
Murillo was on federal probation.
Deputies arrested and booked Murillo into Purgatory Correctional Facility.
He was booked on multiple drug charges, gun charges, and evidence tampering.
A judge set a no-bail hold on both Holladay and Murillo.
