Ivins man arrested for assault on police after speeding off with 2 officers partially in car

Santa Clara-Ivins Police vehicle, location unspecified, July 11, 2018 | File photo courtesy of the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Multiple charges were filed against an Ivins man after he drove off with two officers partially inside of his vehicle and then evaded police Tuesday after an incident involving a fuel card at a gas station, police say.

Crosby Camp booking photo posted in Washington County, Utah, Feb. 12, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

At 1:30 p.m. an employee at Lightfoot’s Fuel Center & Convenience Store at 555 S. 200 East in Ivins flagged down an officer to report that a concerned citizen had contacted the station to alert employees to an ad running on Craigslist by an individual, later identified as Crosby Camp, selling the use of a gas card.

Camp, 36, allegedly posted that he would meet those interested at the gas pumps in Ivins where, using the gas card, he would allow them to put $40 worth of fuel in their tank and pay him $20 in cash, Santa Clara-Ivins Police Sgt. Jaron Studley said.

The cards were actually owned by a local shuttle company and were distributed to their drivers to purchase gas for the shuttle vehicles, and were “stolen cards that actually worked,” Studley said.

Officers observed a white Honda described by the clerk and a driver who was outside of the car near the gas pumps and “acting suspicious,” Studley said.

Officers asked Camp if he was the one posting an ad for the fuel card, which he confirmed, Studley said. Camp went on to explain that he was allowed to sell gas from the card, telling the officers that what he was doing was “totally legal.” When asked, he handed the gas card over to the officer, but “wouldn’t make eye contact and kept trying to get back in his vehicle.”

The officer learned through a records check that Camp had a misdemeanor theft warrant out of Washington City as well as a suspended license and vehicle registration out of Arizona.

Officers returned to the car and told Camp he was under arrest. He started the car as both officers were leaning into the vehicle and then “floored it,” Studley said. The car launched forward and threw both officers to the ground as it sped off, injuring one officer’s shoulder and the other’s leg. The injuries were minor and did not require medical attention.

Multiple patrol cars chased Camp but soon terminated the pursuit for safety reasons. A short time later police canvassing the area spotted the Honda. With guns drawn, they took the defendant into into custody.

Meanwhile, a resident called police to report that a driver threw objects from the window of a white Honda as it sped by. Officers found heroin, a glass pipe, syringes and other paraphernalia in the front yard of the home.

In this Oct. 29, 2015, file photo, police respond to reports of criminal activity at Lightfoot’s Fuel Center & Convenience Store in Santa Clara, Utah. | Photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News

Camp appeared “very, very impaired” and was given a field sobriety test during the stop, which he didn’t pass,” Studley said, adding that the impairment likely contributed to the “poor decisions he made that day.”

He also said there have been at least three similar incidents reported in surrounding cities that Camp was seen approaching individuals to purchase fuel on the card in exchange for cash.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office charged Camp with two second-degree felony counts of assault against a police officer with weapon or force and a third-degree felony count for failing to stop at an officer’s command, according to documents filed Wednesday with the court.

Camp also faces two class A misdemeanor charges, one for obstruction of justice and a second for possession of a controlled substance, along with driving under the influence and possession of paraphernalia, both class B misdemeanors.

He was also charged with driving on a suspended license and operating a vehicle without registration, both class C misdemeanors and driving without insurance, an infraction.

Camp was being held on $10,000 bail as this report publishes.

This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

 

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