SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Two people have been arrested following an alleged home invasion in Salt Lake City in mid-October.
On Monday, October 18, Salt Lake City Police were called about a home invasion robbery involving a firearm near 300 North Star Crest Drive. The victim says they were physically assaulted and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
During their investigation, Salt Lake City Police detectives say they were able to identify potential suspects.
On Wednesday, officers with the SLCPD Gang Unit located the suspects near 400 South Redwood Road. Both were seen leaving a business in separate vehicles. Once law enforcement noticed the pair, both suspects allegedly fled in a reckless manner.
Officers pursued the vehicle driven by 27-year-old Eloria Avila but cut the pursuit short due to her dangerous driving behavior. Roughly two hours later, officers went to the area of St. Marks Hospital in Mill Creek where they spotted the vehicle driven by 34-year-old Joseph Guerrero that had fled earlier in the day.
SLCPD say Avila was driving the vehicle with Guerrero in the passenger seat. Once seen by officers, Avila allegedly fled again in a reckless manner. Because of the dangerous actions, SLCPD called in the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to help with the investigation.
The vehicle was traveling throughout various locations in Salt Lake County as the helicopter maintained eyes on it. No police officers were pursuing them at this time.
Once it was safe to do so, and to prevent a second pursuit, law enforcement used spike strips to deflate the vehicle’s tires. After deflating some of the tires, Guerro and Avila kept driving into the parking garage of the Salt Lake Regional Hospital. Officers quickly responded to the parking garage where they found the vehicle abandoned. Officers later learned this vehicle had been stolen.
Shortly after, Guerrero and Avila were found in another vehicle. While they were initially non-compliant when confronted by officers, the pair was ultimately taken into custody without incident. Below the driver seat where Avila had been sitting, officers say they found a handgun. In the backseat, a magazine matching the firearm and marijuana were found.
SLCPD says the owner of the vehicle did not know Guerrero or Avila and never gave them permission to be inside it when officers found them. The owner also reported the firearm and marijuana were not previously in the vehicle.
Both were booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail. Guerrero is accused of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, theft of a motor vehicle, failure to stop at the command of a police officer, parole violation, expired vehicle registration, and no valid driver license. Avila was booked on charges of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, failure to stop at the command of a police officer, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving on revocation, operating a vehicle without insurance, and failure to remove license plates.
