ST. GEORGE — A pursuit involving several suspects and multiple law enforcement agencies crossed into Washington County following an incident Friday morning at a Cedar City hotel. The incident prompted authorities to send out a reverse 911 alert advising residents of multiple suspects at large.
Cedar City Police Lt. Jimmy Roden confirmed with St. George News that there was an incident at the Hampton Inn shortly before 8 a.m. that resulted in a pursuit after the suspects fled the hotel. However, at the original time of this report, Roden said the details were limited.
Just before 10:30 a.m., Roden released a statement with additional details on the incident.
He said that at approximately 7:50 a.m., officers were summoned to the Hampton Inn regarding a robbery that had just occurred. The victims were a man and a woman who were traveling through Cedar City. As they entered their vehicle at the hotel, the suspect vehicle pulled up and two men exited the vehicle.
One of the suspects and the male victim argued before the suspect struck the victim in the head with a pistol, Roden said in the statement. The suspect stole a bag from the victim that reportedly had a large amount of cash inside.
The suspects got back into their vehicle, a Honda Accord with Indiana license plates, and fled. The victims of the robbery were able to give a vehicle description and a partial license plate for the suspects’ vehicle, which was located a short time later traveling south on Interstate 15 by a Utah Highway Patrol officer. The suspects fled from the trooper and ultimately abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot near Exit 27.
Shortly before 9 a.m., the St. George Communications Center sent out a reverse 911 message from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to Leeds residents advising of an incident “involving multiple subjects that have fled from our department,” adding that numerous agencies are involved.
Authorities are also requesting that all residents remain inside of their homes and keep their doors and windows locked, adding that “no assistance is needed at this time.”
The statement from Roden said two of the men have been taken into custody, but “at least one suspect is still at large.”
Cedar City News reporter Jeff Richards observed electronic signs on I-15 advising travelers not to pick up hitchhikers.
The victim at the hotel was treated on scene for injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. He was not transported to the hospital.
The incident is being handled with assistance from the Utah Highway Patrol, Cedar City Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Iron County Sheriff’s Office and the Utah Department of Transportation Incident Management Team.
Updated June 26, at 11:15 a.m. with additional details on the incident at the Hampton Inn.
This is a developing story.
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