Author: Kevin Thompson

Payson, Utah — Five individuals were arrested following a drive-by shooting that occurred in Payson on Tuesday, according to the Payson Police Department. The incident, which reportedly stemmed from a prior altercation, has left the community shaken and raised concerns about escalating violence. The suspects—Damien Cristobal, 18, Saul Gomez-Alatorre, 18, Eric Jovanny Angeles Loeza, 18, Juan Artemio Gomez Castellon, 20, and Brayan Acuna, 21, all residents of Payson—were apprehended after police conducted a high-risk traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Impala, which matched the description provided by witnesses. The events leading to the shooting began earlier that day at the…

BEAVER, Utah — A routine traffic stop on Interstate 15 in Beaver County led to the discovery of a significant drug cache, resulting in the arrest of one woman on drug-related charges and suspicion of immigration violations. The incident unfolded Monday when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle traveling northbound just outside Beaver for having an expired registration. The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Stefany Freites Aular, informed the trooper that the vehicle was uninsured. However, during the interaction, the officer noticed inconsistencies in the driver’s travel story, prompting further suspicion. According to a probable cause affidavit, the…