Man unable to buy plane ticket at SLC, lashes out with multiple carjackings, collisions resulting in police chase

919 West 2100 South. Photo: Salt Lake City Police

SALT LAKE CITY — A 20-year-old male suspect, identified as John Joseph Thomas Green, carjacked two people while also attempting to carjack two others early Friday morning. The carjackings occurred after he traveled to the Salt Lake City International Airport and attempted to book a same-day flight to Denver, Colorado, but was unable. Salt Lake City Police Department’s Airport Division was first made aware that the suspect was upset and caused a disruption at a ticket counter at around 5 a.m.

SLCPD Airport officers arrived on the scene to find that Green exited the area, forced a driver from their vehicle, and then fled the scene. The driver was not injured.

Green proceeded to drive the stolen vehicle toward the area of 900 West 2100 South, where he crashed into a silver car. He then attempted a U-turn but crashed into a BMW SUV, disabling the victim’s vehicle. Neither driver from the two collisions was injured.

Green is accused of leaving the stolen SUV and attempting to force the female driver of the white BMW SUV from the vehicle but was unsuccessful after multiple tries. The woman fought back, and her seatbelt kept her in the vehicle.

Green returned to the stolen SUV and drove east on 2100 South toward South Salt Lake, where he crashed into another vehicle while nearly hitting a building at 2960 South West Temple. Following the crash, Green allegedly left the stolen SUV and proceeded to hijack a Dodge Durango. It is currently being investigated whether or not Green used a firearm in this carjacking.

Green then moved onto I-80 in the stolen Dodge Durango, where he crashed into several vehicles multiple times, with the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) confirming that five vehicles were hit.

Two Summit County Sheriff Deputies intervened after locating Green on I-80 near milepost 149. While investigating one of the crashes, they could hear Green throwing rocks at cars, attempting to get one of them to stop.

Deputies witnessed Green attempting to carjack a fourth car along I-80. The driver of the Toyota Tacoma removed the keys from the ignition, which prevented the attempted carjacking allowing deputies to pull Green from the pickup and safely take him into custody at around 6:15 a.m.

Green was taken to a hospital by paramedics for observation; following that, he will be booked into Summit County Jail on multiple felony charges.

There is an ongoing investigation that is expected to lead to additional charges. Detectives from the Salt Lake City Department’s Auto Theft Unit and Robbery and Violent Crimes Unit are involved. The process of documenting incidents at multiple locations is being carried out by the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Crime Lab.