Contact:    Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date:        November 3, 2009

Bank Robbery

On November 2, 2009, at 3:43 pm, Centerville Police Officers were dispatched to the Chase Bank in Centerville on a report of an armed robbery which had just occurred.  The teller at Chase Bank told police that a white male adult wearing a green camouflage jacket, ball cap, mirrored sun glasses and army boots approached the teller stating “this is a robbery” and demanded money.  The bank complied with the demands and the suspect began to leave. As he was leaving, the suspect dropped a black handgun onto the floor. The suspected picked up the gun and left on foot going south towards a nearby retail business district. 

One of the officers canvassing the area located an employee at Dollar Cuts who observed a man matching the description of the robber who had parked a black Dodge pickup in the area of Dollar Cuts a few minutes before.  At the time of the reported robbery Centerville Police were in the area looking for a black pickup which had been reported as driving recklessly and possibly was being driven by an impaired person. This was prior to the robbery.  A plate number was given on the possible DUI situation but was one digit off and DMV records did not match the vehicle.  Officers suspected that this truck may also be related to the robbery and noticed that the by changing one digit from a number to a letter the plate showed registered to a Dodge pickup matching the description of the truck related to the robbery.  This Dodge truck was then located in the driveway of the registered owner in Bountiful on Spring Creek Drive and the witness from Dollar Cuts was driven past the truck and identified it as the one used by the suspect. 

Centerville Police requested assistance from the FBI and local agencies including Bountiful Police.  A search warrant was obtained for the suspect and items used in connection with the robbery.  SWAT officers from Bountiful PD and Davis County Sheriff’s Office along with patrol officers from Centerville, West Bountiful and Bountiful Police surrounded the home.  Attempts were made to call into the home by telephone but there was no answer. Officers then used a bull horn to call into the house, after which a 12 year old boy came to the door.  The boy was removed from the home and taken into protective care by FBI agents.  The boy advised that his father was in the home but the boy thought his dad was asleep. He also said that he saw that his dad had a black handgun in his black Dodge pickup that evening. SWAT officers eventually introduced teargas into the home through several windows and then made entry. The suspect was taken into custody in the home's kitchen area without injury to anyone.  The suspect had to be decontaminated by South Davis Metro Fire before removing him from the scene, and the home needed to be ventilated thoroughly.     

Officers recovered several items used in the robbery from the home including the gun.  The suspect was severely impaired at the time of arrest and could not be interviewed.  The suspect, William D. Walstrand, 33, of Bountiful was booked into Davis County Jail and was charged with aggravated robbery and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. 

Press Release

Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date:  October 8, 2009

Man with a gun in store

On October 7, 2009, at 5:00 pm, Centerville Police were dispatched to the Wal-Mart store, located at 221 West Parrish Lane, on a report of a man with a gun inside the store. The man had recently been fired from that store.

Joshua M. Cerka, age 21 from North Salt Lake, was arrested without incident inside of Wal-Mart and booked into Davis County Jail on the charge of possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to assault. Joshua had been fired by a Wal-Mart manager last Wednesday, September 30th, and was escorted out of the store. After leaving, Joshua came back into the store and went to the customer service counter to cash his payroll check. According to two store employees, Joshua stated that he was going to kill the manager and was going to shoot him in the face. On the evening of October 4th and during the day of October 5th, Joshua called the Wal-Mart inquiring if the manager was there.

On October 7, 2009, Joshua Cerka came into Wal-Mart with a 45 Ruger pistol in a holster which was attached to his hip belt in open view. Joshua had changed his appearance by bleaching his hair. Joshua walked around the store and found the manager whom he had previously threatened to kill. The Manager quickly left the area and called other store employees asking them to call police.  

Centerville Officers responding to this call knew of the threats made by the suspect and located Joshua Cerka inside of the store still carrying the gun on his hip.  Joshua was commanded at gun point to lie down on the ground, and he complied. Joshua Cerka does have a valid concealed weapon permit.

The Davis County Attorney’s office is screening this case for formal charges.

 Contact:    Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date:        October 5, 2009 1030

Boy dies from injures in auto vs bicycle

On September 22, 2009, at 8:01 pm Centerville Police Officers responded on a crash involving a 12 year old boy riding a bicycle and a Mazda CX-9. The boy, identified as Jacob Park of Centerville, was flown by medical helicopter to Primary Children’s Hospital and was listed in critical condition.

On Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 9:04 pm Jacob Park was pronounced dead. Jacob had been in intensive care since the crash but was taken off of life support Sunday evening after the family had made the decision to do so. 

The driver of the Mazda, Evelyn Cook of Centerville, has not been charged and the Police Department does not anticipate filing any charges. It was determined that this crash occurred in low light conditions, the boy was wearing dark clothing, no light was displayed on the bicycle and the bicycle suddenly entered the crosswalk into the path of Cook’s vehicle.  After the Mazda hit Jacob he was knocked to the pavement and then received traumatic injuries as a result of the vehicle running over his head with the left front tire. The speed of the Mazda was not found to be excessive. 

The crash occurred at the intersection of Chase Lane and 400 West. The traffic control consisted of 25 mph zone for north and south bound traffic on 400 West and stop signs for east and west bound traffic on Chase lane. One street light is located at this intersection on the north east corner and was functioning at the time of the incident. 

Centerville Police wishes to express our sincere sadness and extend our condolences to the family of Jacob Park. 

Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Department 292-8441

Date: Sept 22, 2009, 10:30pm

Re: Auto vs. Bicycle

On September 22, 2009, at 8:01 pm, Centerville Officers and EMS personnel from South Davis Metro Fire responded to a reported auto vs. pedestrian crash at 400 West Chase Lane in Centerville. 

Jacob Park, a 12 year old boy from Centerville, was struck by a blue Mazda CX-9 as the boy was crossing in a crosswalk while riding on his bicycle. The Mazda was driven by Evelyn Cook, 37 years old, of Centerville. Cook was west bound on Chase and had stopped for a stop sign before continuing west through the intersection. Another car had also stopped for a stop sign at the intersection going east on Chase Lane. Neither driver reported seeing the boy before the crash. It appears that Park was traveling southbound in the crosswalk on the west side of the intersection when he was stuck which caused him to be thrown from his bike, and then he was ran over by the car. This intersection was lit by one street light on the north east corner. The boy was wearing dark clothing and was not wearing a helmet. At the time of this crash the sun had set, and it was getting dark.

Jacob Park was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital by Air Med helicopter. Responders at the scene reported that Park was bleeding from his head and nose, and he exhibited signs of significant head and brain trauma. He was not conscious at the scene when officers arrived.

Evelyn Cook and Jacob Park live in the same neighborhood together and the two families know each other.     

This crash is currently under investigation.

 

Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Re: Roadside Security Checkpoint
Date:  August 31, 2009

 

Centerville Police Department conducted a Roadside Sobriety Checkpoint on August 22, 2009.  This is part of the department’s on-going and proactive approach to enforcement of DUI laws to enhance safety on the streets in Centerville.  The Checkpoint started at about 11pm Saturday evening and continued until about 3am Sunday morning.  Officers from West Bountiful, Bountiful and Woods Cross participated as well as Deputies from Davis County Sheriff and UHP Troops. 

During the time the checkpoint was operational a total of 986 cars went through the checkpoint area going eastbound on Parrish Lane, 706 vehicles were diverted into the checkpoint line where they were contacted by an officer.  This means that 280 vehicles were not required to be checked and continued past the checkpoint. The average time that any one law abiding motorist spent in the checkpoint was 29.79 seconds. Most minor violations resulted in a verbal warning.

The following is an accounting of the enforcement actions taken during this checkpoint:

• 25 standardized field sobriety tests conducted
• 5 persons arrested for Driving Under the Influence
• 5 vehicles impounded for State Tax
• 7 possession of Marijuana charges
• 6 possession of drug paraphernalia charges
• 3 unlawful possession or consumption of alcohol by minor charges
• 2 driving on suspension charges
• 1 contributing to delinquency of a minor offence
• 1 curfew citation
• 1 Cocaine possession arrest

Contact:    Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date:        May 13, 2009
Re:   Sex Assault

Early Friday morning while en route to another call, an alert Centerville officer observed a vehicle parked illegally at 200 W Bellano Way.  Officer Jason Read observed that the vehicle’s lights were off but two individuals could be seen inside.  Officer Read illuminated the car with his spot light and saw that the occupants began moving about in the vehicle.  Read stopped and made contact with the occupants and discovered a 51 year old man with a 15 year old boy.  The officer determined that the two were not related and that the boy’s mother would not have known that he was out of the house or that he was with a man.  During further investigation the man was identified as Mario Raul Ordonez of Layton.  The boy lives in Centerville.

The boy told police that he had become acquainted with Ordonez through a friend of his. According to the boy Ordonez began texting him and offered to purchase electronic equipment for him.  Ordonez came to the boy’s home early Friday morning just after midnight and contacted to the boy to come out to Ordonez’s car.  The man then drove into the neighborhood behind Wal-Mart on Bellano Way and requested that the boy perform a sexual act with Ordonez. The boy reportedly rejected the request but was physically forced to do it by Mr. Ordonez. 

Mario Raul Ordonez was booked into Davis County Jail on charges of Forcible Sodomy.  Information obtained from the boy leads the Centerville Police to believe that there are other victims in the South Davis County area.  Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Centerville Police.      

Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date:  April 20, 2009

Burglars get a surprise

An alert off duty Salt Lake County Deputy thwarted two juveniles who were in the process of burglarizing several cars in the neighborhood where the deputy lives. Deputy Chad Taylor had just returned home after working a shift with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office and was still in his uniform but driving his personal car. Deputy Taylor noticed a male pulling on a door handle of a car near his home at 1am last Saturday morning and continued to watch the suspect from inside of his car.

The male suspect then walked up to Deputy Taylor’s car, not knowing that the Deputy was inside, and opened the door. As the suspect opened the door Deputy Taylor jumped out of his car. The suspect was so startled that he actually soiled his pants. The suspect then ran on foot with the deputy chasing him. During this time the deputy called Centerville Police on his cellular phone.  The deputy lost sight of the burglary suspect but he was later observed entering a nearby home by a Centerville officer using night vision goggles.

Another male juvenile who was also involved in the burglaries was located a short time later, and both were charged with numerous counts of vehicle burglary and attempted vehicle burglary. The two suspects were booked into Farmington Bay Youth Correction facility.    

Exploitation and Enticement of Minor

A California man was arrested last month after a federal warrant was obtained for his arrest for coercion and enticement. The arrest was made as a result of a 12 week investigation involving agents from the FBI, the State of Utah Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force and the Centerville Police Department.

Centerville Police were contacted in November 2008 on a report of a missing 13 year old girl thought to be a runaway. Officers and a detective from Centerville Police began investigating and found evidence that the girl had been in contact with a man known only as “Bear” while playing the online internet game.  Investigators received information that the girl may have been enticed by the man to meet him in California and that he may have purchased a bus ticket for her. Centerville Police contacted the ICAC task force to assist in the investigation.  The 13 year old girl was located at the Salt Lake inter-modal hub late that evening waiting to take a Greyhound bus to Santa Rosa, California. The bus ticket was purchased with a credit card that was linked back to a 40 year old man living in Kelseyville, Ca. by the name of Robert Davison Jr.

Agents from ICAC performed forensic scans on computers at the girl’s home and her cell phone. The information on the computers lead investigators to believe that Mr. Davison was engaging in sexually explicit conversations and intended to have the girl go to California for sexually related purposes.

Robert Davison Jr. is charged with one count of interstate enticement which carries a penalty of 120 months in Federal Prison. Robert L. Davison Jr. is currently in federal custody awaiting extradition to Utah.

 

Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO 292-8441
Date:   March 10, 2009

Three Generations of Crime

On Saturday March 7, 2009, Centerville Police, with the assistance of Bountiful Police, arrested a Grandfather, his son and his 14 year old grandson for vehicle burglary, criminal mischief, felony theft and possession of burglary tools. The three were arrested after leaving the parking lot of a restaurant in Bountiful where they had just committed another burglary. 

A short time earlier Centerville Police had been called to a report of a vehicle burglary in the parking lot of Iggy’s in Centerville. The suspects had broken out a window in the car and stolen a purse, check book, credit cards and other valuables from the car. A CPD officer viewed the surveillance camera from the parking lot and was able to get a good description of the suspects and their vehicle. An attempt to locate was broadcast throughout the county and an alert Bountiful officer, acting on a hunch, spotted the suspects as they were leaving the parking of a Bountiful restaurant. The property taken in the burglary in Centerville as well as several other burglaries was recovered out of the suspect’s car.

Arrested were 49 year old Donald J. Madrid of West Valley, his son 31 year old Joshua J Madrid Sr. and the 14 year old grandson of Donald Madrid. The two adults were taken to Davis County Jail and the juvenile was taken to Farmington Bay Youth Detention facility. The suspect’s vehicle in this case matches the description in a similar vehicle burglary and they are thought to be involved in multiple vehicle burglaries throughout the south end of the county.

Once again this is a reminder of the importance of not leaving valuables in a vehicle unattended.

 Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date: February 8, 2009
Re: Fatal Head-On Crash

Contact: Lt. Paul Child; PIO Centerville Police Dept. 292-8441
Date:  March 25, 2009