Man wanted in Sandy carjacking investigation arrested in Saratoga Springs

SANDY — A man who police say carjacked a woman at gunpoint and attempted to carjack a second woman in Sandy, and briefly prompted the lockdown of some schools in Saratoga Springs, was arrested.

Gustavo Dee Chavez, 24, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of two counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm and being in a stolen vehicle.

The investigation began at about 5 a.m. Tuesday, when Chavez attempted to carjack a woman's SUV in a business parking lot near 9350 South and 700 East, according to police.

"(He) pointed a firearm at the victim, and when the victim refused to hand over her keys to the vehicle, (Chavez) fired a round from the firearm into the ground near the victim's feet," a police booking affidavit states. "The victim handed (Chavez) her keys to the vehicle and ran."

The woman was not injured.

Chavez then turned the SUV "on and off several times" before eventually getting out and running, leaving the keys inside the vehicle, the affidavit states. Sandy Police Sgt. Michael Olsen said investigators have no idea why Chavez was unable to start the vehicle.

Police say Chavez then ran to a nearby residential area and stole another vehicle near 200 East and 9100 South.

"(He) pointed a firearm at the victim and demanded the vehicle. The victim complied and (Chavez) left the area in the stolen vehicle," according to the affidavit.

Investigators tracked the car using its GPS system into Herriman, where police attempted to stop the vehicle, but Chavez "fled at a high rate of speed and was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes," the affidavit states.

Chavez then drove to Saratoga Springs and left the car in a random driveway, Olsen said. The vehicle had a different license plate on it when the vehicle was recovered, and a second stolen license plate was found inside the vehicle. Investigators believe at some point between Sandy and Saratoga Springs, Chavez was able to pull over and switch license plates. The license plate found inside the vehicle was reported stolen out of Sandy. Additional information on when the plates were taken was not immediately available.

After abandoning the stolen vehicle, Chavez ran to a nearby wooded area where he tried to hide, Olsen said. Saratoga Springs police surrounded the area and used a drone to locate him. Chavez surrendered without further incident a short time later. Olsen said a gun was recovered.

While police were attempting to take Chavez into custody, five schools — including four elementary and one middle school — in Saratoga Springs went into "secure" status about 8:30 a.m.

As of Wednesday, police say there is no evidence Chavez had any bigger plans for the stolen car and license plates other than just using the vehicle for a ride.