ST. GEORGE — A Southern California man is in jail after officers in St. George intercepted a carjacking within minutes of the call – after the car owner had been allegedly dragged and a bystander struck with the car door as the suspect fled early Thursday morning.
The arrest stems from an incident that began shortly before 4 a.m., when officers were dispatched to the Maverik Adventure’s First Stop store on South Bluff Street on a report of a vehicle theft in progress, according to charging documents filed with the court.
While en route to the call, police say emergency dispatch advised officers the suspect had gained control of the black Toyota passenger car and was heading north on Bluff Street with the headlights off.
The car was spotted by police on Bluff Street, and once a second patrol unit closed in, the officers conducted a traffic stop. The suspect was then taken into custody.
During an interview, the suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Mario C. Yanes of Los Angeles, allegedly admitted to taking the car from a man the suspect said he knew but referred to by a different name. He also told officers he punched the man in the face before taking his vehicle, police say.
The initial report indicated the car owner “may have been dragged briefly and injured by the car,” as the suspect drove off, which, the officer wrote in the report, was consistent with the injuries the car owner sustained during the scuffle. Following the incident, he was transported to St. George Regional Hospital with various cuts and bruises, as well as abrasions or “road rash” and a large knot on the side of his head.
While interviewing witnesses at the scene, police say they learned that a store employee went out to the parking lot to help the car owner and attempted to take the keys out of the ignition to prevent the car from being stolen.
His efforts were unsuccessful, and Yanes reportedly started the car and drove off – striking the clerk with the driver’s side door, which nearly knocked him down and could have easily caused serious bodily injury or even death, the officer noted in the report.
Fortunately, the store employee was uninjured during the incident, the report says.
Instead of stopping, the suspect drove away and continued driving for several blocks until he was stopped by police, the report states.
The suspect was transported and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility facing first-degree felony aggravated robbery, second-degree theft and aggravated assault – a third-degree felony.
The officer requested the suspect be held without bail because he “demonstrated a willful and wanton disregard for public safety,” adding that the suspect was very close to seriously injuring or even killing two people while stealing the vehicle, including “the innocent” party trying to help the car owner.
The officer said Yanes displayed a lack of sound judgment and clear thinking, as he allegedly told police the vehicle owner wanted to murder him, which is why he said he assaulted the man and took his car.
On Thursday morning District Judge Eric A. Ludlow signed an order setting bail at $25,000.
Ed. Note: A new Utah law generally prohibits the release of arrest booking photos until after a conviction is obtained.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders 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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