Man arrested in Payson carjacking

PAYSON — A man tried to steal a car containing a baby Thursday morning, Payson police said.

The driver of the car, the baby's mother, was traveling along I-15 when she pulled off the freeway and stopped at Walker's convenience store at 1528 W. 800 South in Payson.

The woman's parents, who were traveling with with her in another car, also pulled off at the convenience store. Once both cars were stopped at the store, the woman left her car and walked over to where her parents were parked a couple of parking stalls away, Payson Police Lt. Bill Wright said. He said the woman left the baby in the car because she was only a few feet away.

While the woman was talking with her parents, Wright said, she noticed her car begin to back up and saw an unknown man in the driver's seat. Wright said the woman and her father both ran toward the car and attempted to stop the driver. Their yelling and screaming alerted other Walker's

customers, who also attempted to stop the driver.

Wright said the man at the wheel quickly got out of the car and fled the scene on foot.

A short distance away, Payson Police Chief Tom Runyan and a detective were in the area providing traffic control due to flooding caused by recent rain. Wright said Runyan and the detective spotted a man who fit the description of the foiled carjacker walking across the I-15 overpass. The officers arrested the man and transported him to Utah County Jail.

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