Public safety news from Tribune staff and wire reports
Salt Lake Tribune
Bountiful man pleads guilty to child porn charge
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A Bountiful man pleaded guilty Tuesday to transporting child pornography, saying he was "extremely remorseful." Under a plea bargain, prosecutors will recommend a five-year prison term for Mark Edward Calder, 37. Calder, who was arrested in December, came under investigation after he tried to enter Canada by car and a Canadian customs official found a laptop computer with text files describing children involved in incest, rape and sex with adults. In his plea, Calder admitted he had transported more than 600 images of child pornography during his trip to Canada. Sentencing by U.S. District Judge David Winder is set for July 28.
Pickup rollover claims Provo man
A Provo man died after being partly ejected from a vehicle Monday. Randy Ficklin, 45, died after being flown to University Hospital. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, Ficklin was the passenger in a 2000 Ford Ranger. His 15-year-old son was driving the truck south on Interstate 15. At 7:23 p.m., the patrol says, witnesses saw the Ranger swerve. It ran to the right off the road, hit a concrete barrier and rolled twice. The patrol report says Ficklin was not wearing a seat belt. His son was wearing a seat belt and suffered some head injuries and was released from McKay-Dee Hospital later that night.
Robber strikes at downtown bank
Police are seeking a man who robbed a downtown Salt Lake City bank on Tuesday. The man entered the north doors of Key Bank, 410 E. 400 South, and approached the teller, giving a note demanding money. The teller placed the money in an envelope, and the bandit fled on foot in a southeast direction. The robber was described as white, 22 to 26 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds and clean shaven. He was wearing a navy blue hooded sweatshirt with white lettering, a red knit cap, white T-shirt and jeans. Anyone with information about the robbery can call the "Tips for Cash" hot line at 799-INFO.
School reopened after report of intruder
West Valley Elementary students arriving to class Tuesday weren't allowed into their school right away as police searched for somebody spotted inside the building. A custodian was at the school between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. when he saw somebody run across the hallway, said Granite School District spokesman Randy Ripplinger. Police searched the school for about an hour but did not find anybody. No children were at school at the time.
Heber Creeper cars collide; four injured
Five children and three adults were taken to the Heber Valley Medical Center with minor injuries Tuesday afternoon after two Heber Valley Historic Railroad cars hit each other in Wasatch County. One of the cars had drifted down the track and hit a train carrying about 275 elementary school students and chaperones that had stopped just past Soldier Hollow, said Nate McDonald, spokesman for the railroad. Two railroad employees were also take to the hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries and released. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.