Utah man arrested near cemetery

A man who eluded law enforcement in Rock Springs was arrested near Riverview Cemetery Wednesday evening.

Darren Carson Calvin, 20, of Utah,was arrested last week after a chase involving Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office deputies and was charged with two felonies and four misdemeanors. The felony charges stemming from the incident are escape from official detention, which is punishable by a prison sentence of up to three years and carries a maximum fine of up to $3,000 and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which is also punishable by a sentence of up to three years in prison and carries a maximum potential fine of $5,000.

The misdemeanor charges are interference with a peace officer, reckless endangering, attempting to elude police officers and reckless driving. The interference charge carries a maximum sentence of up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000, while the reckless endangering carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail. The other two misdemeanors are punishable through a maximum of six months in jail and up to a $750 fine. Calvin was placed on a bond of $100,000 cash or surety.

According to court documents, detectives from the SCSO noticed Calvin visiting an inmate at the Sweetwater County Detention Center and identified him despite him using an alias during the visits. While investigating Calvin, detectives discovered he had an active warrant from West Jordan, Utah for a felony second-degree aggravated robbery charge. He was later found to have several warrants our for his arrest.

When the inmate Calvin was visiting was moved to Southwest Counseling Services for treatment, drove to its Foothill Boulevard building and was approached by a SCSO detective. The detective spoke with Calvin, who was sitting in his 2000 Ford Taurus with the driver's side door open.

The detective, in plain clothing, identified himself and showed his badge to encourage compliance from Calvin as he attempted to make the arrest, but Calvin allegedly shut the door on the detective's body as he attempted to handcuff Calvin.

Calvin the exited the vehicle through the passenger side door and allegedly ran through the parking lot. The detective exited the vehicle to call for assistance and Calvin returned to the vehicle, entering it through the open passenger door, allegedly locking the detective out of the vehicle. Calvin then left the parking lot in the vehicle and and drove west on the Foothill Boulevard service road, driving at a high rate of speed as he passed by the intersection with Clearview Drive.

A second sheriff's deputy in a patrol vehicle attempted to cut Calvin off as he turned onto U.S. 191 South, but Calvin allegedly drove onto the nearby off ramp in the wrong direction as other vehicles were attempting to exit Interstate 80. He then turned onto Purple Sage Road. Deputies lost sight of Calvin's vehicle when he drove behind a hill as they attempted to try paralleling their vehicles on the westbound lanes of I-80.

Deputies located Calvin's vehicle stuck in a washed out road on the old Lincoln Highway a few miles west of Green River, but he had left the vehicle. After the vehicle was towed, the tow truck driver called the sheriff's office and reported finding a handgun in the rear spare tire compartment of the vehicle. The firearm was reported stolen. While a deputy was at the Green River-based tow business, he received information regarding Calvin being spotted near Riverview Cemetery. The deputy then placed Calvin under arrest through the active warrants.

While reviewing Calvin's criminal history, investigators discovered Calvin had a 2019 Utah conviction for felony aggravated robbery.