Georgia man suspected of burglarizing Little Valley home released from jail; 2nd suspect remains at large

St. George Police respond to an area near 2890 East in search of a second suspect following a residential burglary reported in Little Valley area of St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2023 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — One suspect reportedly involved in a Little Valley residential burglary that triggered an hours-long search Friday was released after spending one day in jail while the second suspect remains at large.

St. George Police respond to an area near 2890 East in search of a second suspect following a residential burglary reported in Little Valley area of St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2023 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Harold Wilson Diaz, 40, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was arrested Friday after officers were dispatched to a Little Valley residence shortly at 10:35  a.m. after emergency dispatch received a text from a teenager who said two men were possibly in the home. When officers arrived, they encountered two suspicious men running in the area, St. George Police Officer Tiffany Mitchell told St. George News on Friday.

Diaz was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility facing second-degree felony burglary of a residence and third-degree felony theft, as well as failing to stop at command of law enforcement and theft, each a misdemeanor.

Diaz was located by officers circulating the area and was arrested and transported to jail, while the second suspect eluded police. Investigators believe both men drove to the area in a car that was parked nearby, and during the neighborhood canvass, the second man likely made it back to the vehicle and drove off. Authorities released a still photo of the at-large suspect Friday afternoon.

At the time of the incident, which temporarily secured multiple schools, the juvenile was home alone when two men entered the residence wearing construction vests.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the arrest, responding officers arrived to find two men leaving through the front door of a residence on Rasmussen Drive. One was wearing a gray sweatshirt with what appeared to be a bright green construction vest draped around his neck, while the second man was dressed in all black. 

Photo from security camera capturing image of second suspect wanted in connection with a residential burglary reported in the Little Valley area of St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2023 | Photo courtesy of the St. George Police Department, St. George News

Both men spotted the officer and continued “walking normally” until the patrol unit turned around and headed back in the direction of the suspects.  

The two quickened their pace while the officer activated the emergency lights on the patrol vehicle, but as soon as the officer stopped and got out of the patrol car, the suspect in the gray sweatshirt started to run east along Rasmussen Drive. The second suspect hesitated for a moment and then raised his hands in the air but seconds later he took off running, the report said

“The male in the gray sweatshirt was much faster than the male in the black clothing,” the officer noted.

As the officer ran behind the suspects, he noticed a “bulge” underneath the black sweatshirt the suspect was wearing, and when the fleeing man appeared to be reaching for whatever was under his clothing, the officer pulled his duty weapon and pointed it at the suspect and ordered him to the ground. 

The suspect complied and was taken into custody by police, while the second suspect was able to get away. 

In the meantime, the owner of the home on Rasmussen Drive approached and advised the officer that the suspects were captured on the home’s security system. The two men seen in the surveillance footage matched the suspects involved in the foot chase. 

The homeowner also turned over a rolled-up construction vest and gloves that were located on the side of the house, and officers also recovered a black backpack with tools inside. Also in the backpack was a safe reportedly taken from the residence where the 911 text originated from.  

Diaz was transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility Friday and booked into jail on the charges as listed and bail was set at $15,000. The Georgia resident was released from custody the following evening and the second suspect remains at large at the writing of this report.   

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.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!