1 teen and 2 guns recovered after traffic stop on suspected stolen car in Kearns

KEARNS — A teenager was taken into custody and two firearms were recovered by police in Kearns after a traffic stop on a car suspected of being stolen.

According to the police, the stop was triggered when an occupied and stolen Audi, which the officers were monitoring, was pushed away. The West Valley City Police Department had already requested help and several agencies responded, including a Department of Public Safety helicopter, but before officers were in place, the car left.

The officers attempted to stop or slow down the car with flat tires. The driver stopped the car, and the driver and a front passenger, both juveniles, fled on foot, according to Lt. Robert Brinton of the West Valley City Police Department. The driver was spotted by a helicopter and taken into custody in possession of a firearm.

The passenger dropped a gun near the Audi and took off in another direction, Brinton said. The teenager is still at large but has been identified. Brinton said it was believed the passenger did not pose a danger to the public and detectives would continue to search for him. Both would be around 16 or 17 years old, but they will not be identified because they are minors.

A third person, believed to be a woman by police, was not involved in the theft of the Audi and was released. The surveillance and arrest took place in the area of ​​Silvertip Drive in Kearns.