The fugitive that caused schools in Grantsville to institute a lockout Tuesday afternoon has been charged with four misdemeanor charges.
Michael Paul Busico, 34, of Tooele, is being held in the Tooele County Detention Center and is charged with failure to stop at the command of law enforcement, possession or use of a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespass.
Busico was first spotted by police around 2 p.m. Tuesday, after it was reported a suspicious man had entered and left a home carrying a black bag, according to a probable cause statement from Grantsville City Police. The first officer spotted Busico at the intersection of Center and Vine streets and the suspect fled when he saw the officer.
Due to the proximity of the chase to elementary, middle and high schools, the police recommended the schools go into a lockout, Grantsville City Police Chief Turner said. Two preschools in Grantsville also went into a lockout as a result of the pursuit.
Once Busico was identified, police were made aware of a no-bail warrant that had been issued by state adult probation and parole, the statement said. While searching in the area of Park and Vine streets, officers again located Busico, who was heading south and hopped a fence into a trailer park.
Grantsville City police set up a perimeter and made repeated attempts to get Busico to stop at a verbal command, but he continued to run. A K-9 unit in the area was used to locate Busico in a garbage can near 300 S. Park Street.
After Busico was taken into custody, police eventually found the black bag he was carrying with him, which contained a silver spoon and needle with a clear substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
It took police more than an hour to chase down and locate Busico, who was transferred to jail by a Tooele County sheriff’s deputy. Turner said the sheriff’s office, Utah Highway Patrol and Tooele City Police all contributed to the capture of Busico.
The lockout at the Grantsville schools was lifted around 3:20 p.m. and parents were able to pick up their children from school, according to the Tooele County School District.
Busico is scheduled to appear in Third District Court before Judge Robert Adkins for arraignment on Dec. 7 at 10:29 a.m.