Screaming woman avoids carjacking; man arrested

MIDVALE — A man who police say tried to carjack two people, failing both times, including a woman who investigators say "screamed bloody murder," was tracked down and arrested by police Monday.

The series of events began about 11 a.m. after a woman had just driven her vehicle inside a car wash bay, near 7300 S. Union Park Ave. (1100 East), and stepped out of her vehicle, said Midvale Police Sgt. John Salazar.

A man came up to the woman and asked her if she had any children in the car. When she said no, the man then tried to take her vehicle, telling the woman to "'Go sit by the pumps, sit down and don't call the cops or I'll kill you,'" Salazar said.

The woman began screaming hysterically, drawing the attention of a car wash employee and a customer at a business next door, he said.

The man fought with the woman, finally giving up because of her constant screams, Salazar said. He pushed her down and ran off.

The two men trying to help chased the would-be carjacker, following him as he ran to the parking lot of a nearby Wal-Mart. The man attempted to carjack a second vehicle by running up to a car where a woman was inside eating her lunch, Salazar said.

Again, he was unsuccessful in taking the woman's car and ran off as the other men approached. They chased the man into a nearby car repair garage. By that time, police had arrived and were forced to use a Taser on him after he resisted arrest, Salazar said.

Robert Scott Guyre, 45, was taken to a local hospital as a precaution after detectives feared the man swallowed drugs when he saw police approaching, he said. He was expected to be booked into jail after he was released from the hospital.

Guyre has a long criminal record, including arrests for investigation of assault and robbery, Salazar said.

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