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CEDAR CITY — A 41-year-old man was arrested in downtown Cedar City earlier this week after fleeing from officers following a traffic stop.
Isaac Rusty Caraballo was booked into Iron County Jail on Monday night on suspicion of several counts, including failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony; misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, failure to obey an officer’s commands and driving on a suspended or revoked license; and multiple traffic infractions, including failure to yield the right of way.
According to a probable cause statement filed in support of Caraballo’s arrest, at approximately 7 p.m. Monday, a Cedar City Police officer attempted to stop a vehicle for running a stop light at 300 West and 600 South, and for having a taillight violation.
“The vehicle kept driving, so I activated my sirens with my overhead emergency lights,” the arresting officer wrote. “I could see two male occupants in the vehicle and it appeared they were moving around and talking, looking back and forth at each other.”
The vehicle continued south for approximately four blocks before stopping, the affidavit states. Caraballo, who had been driving the vehicle, was noncompliant and argumentative as officers the two Cedar City Police officers began to question him.
As they attempted to place him under arrest, Caraballo allegedly got back into the car and drove away again, the report says. As he did so, one of the officers unsuccessfully tried to deploy his Taser.
At that point, Caraballo reportedly drove recklessly through neighborhoods at speeds as high as 65 mph, running stop signs and cutting off other vehicles, according to the affidavit.
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Although officers discontinued the pursuit for safety reasons, the vehicle was later spotted a few blocks away from the initial scene, and a man matching Caraballo’s description was seen walking away from the vehicle.
Although on foot, Caraballo allegedly attempted to flee again at that point, but the responding officers were able to tackle him and place him under arrest near 200 N. and 400 West.
Caraballo reportedly told the officers that the reason he fled is that he didn’t want to have his car impounded due to lack of insurance and expired registration.
After initially being transported to Cedar City Hospital where he was evaluated and medically cleared, Caraballo was taken to jail, where he remains held without bail as of Friday.
Caraballo made his initial court appearance on Wednesday before 5th District Judge Matthew L. Bell. His next scheduled court date is a roll call hearing on Monday.
This report is based on statements from court documents and law enforcement officials 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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