Man charged after he allegedly steals car at gas station, totals it and runs away
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IDAHO FALLS — A 21-year-old is facing a felony grand theft charge after he allegedly stole a running vehicle, crashed it and tried running away from law enforcement.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Idaho Falls Police Department, an officer responded to a vehicle theft on Tuesday after 5 a.m. at a Maverik gas station on Woodruff Avenue.
An officer spoke with the owner of the vehicle, who said he had left his keys in the car and gone inside the gas station. The victim told officers that when he went inside, he realized he had left his car running, so he went back outside to get his keys. That’s when he saw his car being driven away by someone, court documents said.
The reported vehicle stolen was a white Hyundai Accent with an Idaho license plate. The officer was told the vehicle left westbound on 1st Street.
“While driving, I noticed a white Hyundai Accent westbound on Broadway. I turned around to verify the plate, and the vehicle accelerated,” the officer wrote in documents.
The officer initiated overhead lights when the vehicle drove over a curb at the intersection of Broadway Street and Utah Avenue.
The vehicle then crashed into the traffic light post.
“As I approached the vehicle, I saw a male, later identified by previous experience as Kanyon Melton, exit the vehicle and begin running away from it,” the officer wrote.
The officer exited the patrol car and yelled several times for Melton to stop. Melton then stopped and obeyed commands.
The victim’s car ended up being totaled, according to documents.
Melton was charged with felony grand theft, misdemeanor failure to give immediate notice of an accident and misdemeanor resisting arrest.
He had an initial court appearance on Tuesday and was given a $10,000 bond. Melton is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. at the Bonneville County courthouse.