Burglary suspect in Ogden involved in crash that killed 2 WSU students, police say

OGDEN — Police say one of four men suspected of burglarizing an Ogden home Friday is the same man who was involved in a high-speed car chase that killed two Weber State University students last April.

Andrew Gomez, 22, was booked into jail for investigation of burglary after police say they followed a lead tracking Gomez and three others to an Ogden residence.

As a girl was returning to her home on the 1000 block of Healy Street, she saw two men running out of the house carrying pillowcases stuffed with a TV, an Xbox 360 and other items. The men jumped into a vehicle with two other men inside, said Ogden Police Lt. Dave Tarran.

Shortly afterward, officers received a call from a neighbor on the 2600 block of Eccles Street who said she had seen four men with pillowcases exiting a vehicle, and she had thought it seemed suspicious.

Police went to a home in the area and arrested Gomez. Robert Terrazas, 18, was also arrested and booked for investigation of burglary. A third man was arrested for outstanding warrants.

Gomez was the passenger in the car chased by police on April 22, 2009. The car was traveling more than 80 mph and ran a red light, crashing into a car and killing Blake Strebel, 19, of South Jordan, and Derek Jasper, 18, of South Ogden.

Police said the 17-year-old driver of the suspect vehicle was knocked unconscious, but Gomez attempted to run from officers before being captured. Gomez did not face automobile homicide charges like the driver but was charged with assault against a police officer, a class A misdemeanor, and interfering with legal arrest, a class B misdemeanor.

Court records indicate Gomez had been scheduled to appear in court Dec. 22, 2009, but failed to appear. The warrant issued for his arrest was later recalled when he showed up for a rescheduled hearing.

e-mail: lgroves@desnews.com