Police uncover chop shop when arresting man in weekend attempt to run over officer

MIDVALE — A man police say tried to run over an officer over the weekend was arrested Wednesday.

Not only did investigators find a chop shop in the process, but they learned their suspect was someone they were very familiar with.

Troy Turnbow, 30, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of attempted murder, unlawful dismantling of a vehicle and auto theft.

Investigators believe Turnbow was the driver who hit a Cottonwood Heights police officer with his car Sunday while trying to escape. The officer fired seven shots at the vehicle. Though many of them went through the windshield, none of them hit the driver.

The car was abandoned at the Santa Fe apartments and the driver stole a brown Chrysler.

Wednesday, based on tips from people who had heard about the story from the media, Cottonwood Heights officers tracked down Turnbow and arrested him. They also found a chop shop operation — where stolen vehicles were being disassembled and parts sold — at a residence near 277 W. 7500 South, said Cottonwood Heights police officer Beau Babka.

"There were multiple cars there. Some had the engines removed," Babka said.

Included among the dismantled cars was the missing brown Chrysler. Also at the chop shop was Michelle Gallegos, 33, who was booked into jail on outstanding warrants. Gallegos and Turnbow were charged together in 3rd District Court on Sept. 23 with burglary of a vehicle and theft. He pleaded not guilty on Oct. 7, less than three days before the incident with the Cottonwood Heights officer.

Gallegos was not the woman spotted in the car with Turnbow on Sunday prior to the shooting. Babka said detectives made contact with that woman but were not arresting her at this time.

Babka said Turnbow and his family were very well known among officers from almost every police department in the valley. He said he remembered dealing with Turnbow as a juvenile, including during a shooting investigation.

The shooting incident was just the latest in a number of recent run-ins police have had with Turnbow.

On Sept. 15, Turnbow was on a stolen bullet bike on I-215 near 4500 South when he led a pair of officers on a chase, according to Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement investigator Kent Jorgensen. Turnbow crashed while trying to avoid police and was injured. He was taken to the hospital and then to jail, but later was able to bail out.