Utah detectives capture ‘violent’ fugitive armed with AR-15 rifle hiding out in tent in woods, sheriff says
A "violent" Idaho fugitive who has said he would rather "shoot it out" with police than go back to prison has been captured in Utah while hiding out in a tent with an AR-15 rifle in his possession, authorities said Tuesday.
Steven John Everett, 33, of Boise, Idaho, had warrants out for parole violation for dangerous drugs and for aggravated strong-arm assault, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said, adding that Boise police had told them Everett has also been involved in trafficking over 100 firearms.
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On Friday, detectives with the sheriff’s office learned that Everett may be in Utah County after receiving a tip from police in Provo, a city about 44 miles south of Salt Lake City.
Deputies and detectives began searching the area of Provo Canyon and found a man matching Everett’s description sitting on a rock along the side of a road, authorities said. When detectives tried to approach Everett, the fugitive quickly walked away into the nearby trees.
Everett halted after the detectives verbally ordered him to stop, the sheriff’s office said. He was found with a knife tucked into his waistband.
His campsite was found about 200 yards from where he was taken into custody. At the site, detectives said they found a tent with its door open.
Inside the tent, officers found an AR-15 rifle and next to it a magazine with 30 rounds of ammunition. An additional 40 rounds of 5.56mm ammo were also discovered.
Detectives also found an Idaho State Police patch, two police-style items used on officers’ duty belts, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside the tent.
Everett, who police said has violent tendencies and was a known drug abuser, had previously made statements that he would not go back to prison and would "shoot it out" with police instead, according to authorities.
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The fugitive was likely hiding out in Utah with his girlfriend so she could give birth at a Provo hospital instead of one in Idaho, where they believed he had a higher chance of getting caught, police said.
Everett was booked into the Utah County Jail on charges of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was being held without bail and was awaiting extradition to Idaho on the warrants.
