Suspects try to flee in reverse, hit patrol car
A pair of suspected gas thieves tried to run away from police in reverse at about 2:30 a.m. this morning, according to a police press release. A person called police to report seeing two men siphoning fuel out of cars in the 400 block of North Shamrock. When officers arrived the two jumped in a white Ford truck and drove eastbound on Valleyway in reverse, the press release said.
The truck stopped after hitting a concrete barrier, then tried to push a marked patrol car out of the way when the officer tried to block him in, the press release said. The two ran away, but were quickly captured. The men were identified as Artem Kuznetsov, 20, and Samuel Aldrich, 29. The truck had been reported stolen. Aldrich was arrested for felony eluding and possession of stolen property. Kuznetsov was arrested for third degree theft. Two people in the back seat of the truck were not arrested.
