ST. GEORGE — A suspect is facing kidnapping and other charges after a 911 call resulted in nearly 20 officers responding to an apartment complex in Washington City where a woman who had been forced into a car in Santa Clara reportedly was being held against her will.

Trevor Taylor, 32, was booked into jail Wednesday and faces multiple charges filed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office, including second-degree felony kidnapping.

He also faces seven misdemeanor charges that include two counts of assault on a peace officer and one count each of failure to stop at command of law enforcement, domestic violence-related threat of violence, possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia and interference with an arresting officer.

The hours-long incident began Tuesday when an individual called emergency dispatch shortly before 3 p.m. requesting a welfare check on a woman who was possibly at an apartment in Washington City, according to charging documents filed with the courts.

Washington City Police Lt. Kory Klotz told St. George News that the reporting party told dispatch they had received a call from a woman indicating she had been taken from the front of her residence in Santa Clara by the suspect, who then forced her into a vehicle and sped off.

According to the reporting party, Klotz said, the suspect was the woman’s ex-boyfriend and likely was taking the victim to his apartment somewhere in Washington City. Officers obtained the address and headed to an apartment complex on Telegraph Street.

Klotz said several units arrived at the complex, but when they knocked at the door, there was no answer. The units remained at the scene and made several attempts to make contact with the suspect. After nearly 35 minutes, he said, Taylor answered the door.

When asked, the suspect told officers there was no one else in the apartment, Klotz said, and shortly thereafter, Taylor told officers the victim was inside. Minutes later, the suspect reappeared, accompanied by the woman, and both exited the apartment. They were separated and interviewed by police.

After officers spoke with the suspect for several minutes, he was advised he was being placed under arrest and officers attempted to place him into custody. As they did so, Klotz said, Taylor reportedly started to fight with officers, punching at least one of them before he pulled away and fled.

While the scuffle was taking place, a request for assistance went out to all surrounding agencies and within minutes, multiple units from both Washington City and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded.

The foot pursuit was short, Klotz said, and they arrested Taylor as soon as they caught up with him and he was taken into custody without further incident.

While police were busy with the suspect, officers also were talking with the victim who outlined the events that ultimately resulted in her being held inside a locked bathroom, against her will, police say.

Officers learned that earlier that day, she was talking with Taylor at a gas station near her home and during the exchange, the woman said she got a bad feeling and started walking to her residence.

The suspect reportedly grabbed her before she could get to the front door, forced her into his vehicle and sped off in the direction of Washington City.

Using her cell phone, she was able to let one of her contacts know she was in trouble, Klotz said, and fearing for the victim’s safety, that person then called 911 to request the welfare check.

Once the suspect reached the complex, he walked the complainant into his apartment and took her cell phone, and according to investigators, the suspect then locked her in the bathroom.

Minutes later, when the suspect heard the officers at the door, Klotz said, Taylor went into the bathroom and told the woman to remain quiet. He then proceeded to throw water on his face and hair and then exited the bathroom with the woman still locked inside.

When Taylor answered the door, he reportedly told officers he was in the shower and was unable to hear them knocking until he got out.

A short while later the suspect returned to the bathroom and opened the door, which is when the complainant walked out of the apartment and spoke to police.

A review of Taylor’s criminal history revealed a misdemeanor case filed in March that involved two misdemeanor counts of failing to stop at command of police, along with multiple drug offenses following a foot pursuit with police and a weapons case filed last year. In August, Taylor pleaded no contest to the gun charge that was reduced to a misdemeanor, and he was placed on three years’ probation and ordered to enter a treatment program.

The history also includes arrests and convictions for interfering with an arresting officer, as well as a case filed in 2014 involving a felony charge of unlawful sexual activity with a 16-17-year-old that was reduced to a misdemeanor that Taylor pleaded guilty to the following year. He was ordered to serve 60 days in the Sevier County Jail and was released. In 2017, he returned to jail on a probation violation and the Utah Attorney General’s Office became involved.

In reference to bail following the arrest Tuesday, Washington County Prosecutor Ryan Shaum told St. George News that a no bail order was signed by District Judge Eric A. Ludlow. Due to the nature of the charges and other factors, the suspect will likely remain in custody while his case is being processed. He went on to say that should bail become an issue, then the state will argue for an in-custody pretrial arrangement.

This report is based on statements from court records, 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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