ST. GEORGE — A pursuit that began in Santa Clara and ended at the Tuacahn Amphitheater in Ivins led to the arrest of two suspects allegedly found with a “stack” of bank- and state-issued identification cards that authorities believe were taken during a cross-country theft spree.
According to charging documents filed with the court, just before 10 a.m. Saturday an officer conducting speed enforcement on Snow Canyon Drive near the 200 North block noticed a red passenger car approaching at a high rate of speed.
He pulled behind the car as it continued toward Snow Canyon State Park, and once the car reached the park entrance the vehicle made a U-turn heading back toward Ivins with the officer in tow.
With lights and sirens activated, the officer followed the suspect vehicle, noting in his report that the driver continued to “move around” inside of the car as it continued on Tuacahn Drive at more than 80 mph, nearly crashing as the driver attempted to negotiate a sharp curve in the road.
The vehicle continued into the parking lot of the Tuacahn Center for the Arts while the officer blocked the entrance as additional officers were called in to assist.
While waiting, the officer reportedly observed two people running down the steps of the amphitheater toward the parking lot as a number of bystanders began yelling to alert the officer that the two were was the suspects they were looking for.
The officer approached and ordered both to stop as he pointed a taser at the passenger, later identified as 36-year-old Kevin Lamar Miller, of Austell, Georgia, and ordered him to the ground. He complied and was detained by police.
Meanwhile, the driver, later identified as 27-year-old Indra Pal Singh, of Houston, Texas, continued running south and was apprehended minutes later by a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy responding to assist.
Detectives were called in, but both suspects refused to answer any questions during the initial interview with police.
While processing the vehicle for impound, officers found a state-issued identification card from New York and a bank card, neither of which matched the identities of either the driver or the passenger. The report also states that officers recovered a glass-breaking tool, screwdrivers and gloves — tools the report states were consistent with what would be used to break into a vehicle.
The vehicle was towed to the impound yard, and the suspects were transported to jail where each faces multiple charges.
Singh faces two counts of felony evading, as well as unlawful acquisition of a financial card. She also faces reckless driving, accident involving property damage, open container of alcohol and possession of another’s identifying documents, each a misdemeanor.
Miller faces one count of felony evading and unlawful acquisition of a financial card, along with one misdemeanor count of having an open container of alcohol and possession of another’s identifying documents.
Later that same day at the scene of the arrest, a bystander found a stack of financial cards and identification cards near the amphitheater in the same area where the pair was taken into custody. The bystander turned the cards over to police.
Two of the cards were identified as being reported stolen during a vehicle burglary that had taken place just previous to the pursuit and in an area that would have been along the route the suspects would have taken.
Santa Clara-Ivins Police Sgt. Reed Briggs told St. George News the stack of cards found by the bystander consisted of bank and ID cards that were issued out of state – from California to New York, he said.
As such, additional charges against each of the suspects were sent to the Washington County Attorney’s Office for review, including 24 third-degree felony counts of unlawful acquisition of a financial card. Each also faces a dozen additional misdemeanor charges – 11 counts of possession of another’s identifying documents and one count of vehicle burglary.
Briggs went on to say officers are following up with other outside agencies as part of the investigation. He added that the two suspects are likely part of a larger theft ring that moves from state to state in the warmer months targeting vehicles parked at trailheads or other remote areas to to burglarize, since the cars will be left unoccupied for an extended period of time.
Following Saturday’s arrest, the officer requested that Singh and Miller be held without bail, stating the two constitute a substantial danger to the community or are likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court if released. The order was signed by District Judge Eric A. Ludlow on Sunday, and both remain in custody as this report publishes.
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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