On the morning of December 27, 2016 just after 0700, Price City Police Officer Cameron Sartori began receiving auto burglary complaints, not limited to, but primarily in the southeast residential area of Price City. Over the course of the day, Officer Sartori would come to have complaints from at least 25 victims. One complaint would also involve an actual vehicle theft.
Forensic evidence gathered at crime scenes convinced Price Officers that one suspect was involved. A general description of a male suspect was put together based on suspicious witness accounts near crime scenes.
In a separate incident, just before 2200 that night at the Roscrea Apartments, Officer Drew Olson received a report of two suspicious males with several duffle bags of property. Once on scene Officer Olson noted that one of the males matched the suspect description of the auto burglary crime spree.
Officer Olson attempted to detain the suspect, but a scuffle ensued and the suspect escaped. Officer Olson detained the other male who was very cooperative with officers. The fleeing suspect was identified.
Officers from the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Wellington PD, and the Utah Highway Patrol assisted in searching for the escaped suspect, who was then located a short distance away, hiding under a vehicle.
At that time, Officer Olson arrested Christopher Norman Broadhead, DOB 7/31/85, of Santaquin, Utah. Mr. Broadhead had four active statewide warrants, two of which had no bail conditions. In addition, he was booked into jail for Failure to Stop at the Command of a Peace Officer a class A misdemeanor, Assault on a Peace Officer a class A misdemeanor, and Resisting Arrest a class B misdemeanor. The Price City Attorney will review the report to determine appropriate formal charges. The court set bail at $458 in this case.
Broadhead did agree to talk with Olson and acknowledged he knew he had warrants, and believed he currently had a prison sentence hanging over his head once he was captured by authorities.
Evidence on Broadhead’s person allegedly connected him to the string of auto-burglaries and the vehicle theft that Officer Sartori had been investigating. Broadhead allegedly denied any involvement in those numerous crimes. Olson seized the evidence from Broadhead’s person that incriminated him in the auto burglaries and turned it over to Officer Sartori, along with Broadhead’s other property which was to be kept for safe keeping.
While inventorying Broadhead’s property, Sartori allegedly found items that connected Broadhead to a number of the auto burglaries. Price City Detectives attempted talking with Broadhead, but he declined the offer to do so. It is not known what Broadhead’s connection or interest in Price is.
For his case, Officer Sartori booked Broadhead into jail for Burglary a 3rd degree felony, Theft of a Motor Vehicle a 2nd degree felony, two counts of class B misdemeanor Criminal Mischief (for alleged damage caused during the crime spree), and 25 counts of Vehicle Burglary, normally class A misdemeanors but which will likely be enhanced to felonies because of Broadhead’s prior history. The Carbon County Attorney will review the report to determine appropriate formal charges. The court set bail at $1763 in this case.
Mr. Broadhead has 21 previous arrests, most for theft, auto burglary, and burglary offenses, along with 7 previous felony convictions.
The Price City Police Department would like to advise citizens to always lock your vehicles, and do not leave keys in unlocked vehicles, even when they are parked in your own driveway or garage. In addition, do not leave valuable items, wallets or purses with identity documents, or money in small or large sums in your vehicles. Career criminals will take advantage of easy targets of opportunity.
