The driver involved in a police chase in Salt Lake City early Sunday morning, which resulted in the death of one individual, has been identified as Josue Yahir Hernandez Perez, 20. The deceased individual has been identified as Douglas Rodriguez, 21. Perez now faces charges of manslaughter, failure to respond to officers’ signal to stop – death/injury, reckless driving, and no valid license.
The incident began when Salt Lake City Police responded to a shooting in the city at around 1 a.m. Perez, who was driving a black Mercedes sedan, fled the scene with Rodriguez as his passenger. West Valley Police pursued the vehicle, which eventually crashed and rolled, leading to Rodriguez’s death.
Investigations revealed that Perez had met up with Rodriguez earlier in the evening and attended a party together. When officers arrived at the party to investigate the shooting, Perez fled, claiming that Rodriguez had asked him to do so. After the crash, Perez stated that Rodriguez was on top of him inside the vehicle, and he was informed that Rodriguez would not survive. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police discovered that Perez had driven over a center median, sidewalk, and grassy lawn during the chase. Additionally, it was found that Perez did not possess a valid driver’s license. Due to the seriousness of the charges, law enforcement expressed concerns that Perez may evade capture if released.
