Two people who police said led them on a wild chase through two counties, driving a stolen car and firing multiple shots at pursuing officers, were bound over for trial on Wednesday.

Police also claim the early-morning crime spree on Jan. 5 involved attempts to carjack two vehicles, shooting and hurting a woman who refused to give up her car and racing the wrong way on I-15. Police also say that a detective was told there was a bomb in the stolen car — forcing a bomb squad to remove a silver cylinder that now is in custody of federal agents.

Randy Ross Parry, 26, and Crystal L. Huffman, 30, each have been charged by the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office with two first-degree felony counts of attempted criminal homicide, second-degree felony theft and third-degree felony failure to stop for a police officer.

Parry, who told police he was on parole from South Dakota, also is charged with third-degree felony possession of a firearm by a restricted person and second-degree felony possession of an explosive device.

Prosecutor Vincent Meister told 3rd District Judge Judith Atherton that additional charges will be pending in Davis County, and plans are to amend the criminal complaints against Parry and Huffman to add those charges to the Salt Lake County case, with Davis County prosecutors taking part in future consolidated legal proceedings.

Parry also is facing another Salt Lake County charge of third-degree felony assault by a prisoner in a separate criminal case. A preliminary hearing for that will be held Oct. 4 before 3rd District Judge Kate Toomey.

West Valley police officer Blair Barfuss testified Wednesday that he began following a car described by a dispatcher as a stolen vehicle on I-215, and that led to a circuitous chase that sometimes snaked through Salt Lake neighborhoods. At one point, Barfuss said the driver leaned fully outside the vehicle and shot at him while they were about two car lengths away. The vehicle didn't swerve, leading Meister to contend that Huffman was steering it.

At one point, Barfuss managed to spin the fleeing vehicle around and stall it, so the two cars were side by side, and he got a look at Parry. But while Barfuss was grabbing a shotgun, he said Parry restarted the car he was in and took off.

Barfuss testified that he and another officer again came within two car lengths of the car Parry was driving, and Parry again leaned out and shot towards them. Barfuss' vehicle later was found to have a hole in the radiator that caused it to overheat.

Police agencies continued to pursue the vehicle into Davis County, where it was found abandoned and, ultimately, Parry and Huffman were arrested.

Barfuss, who had gotten a ride from another officer, testified he looked at Parry, who by then was in a squad car, identified him and then walked away "so I wouldn't have any contact with him."

West Valley Det. Robert Bobrowski testified he interviewed both Parry and Huffman, and both confessed to what they had done. Huffman knew the car they were in was stolen, she knew Parry had a loaded gun, she steered while he was shooting at police and she seemed worried about Parry's well-being, Bobrowski said.

Under questioning from Huffman's lawyer, Edwin Wall, Bobrowski said Huffman was upset and crying after she learned a woman had been shot during one of the carjacking attempts.

Bobrowski said Parry also volunteered information about what happened.

Asked about a possible "suicide by officer scenario," Bobrowski said Parry had indicated he was suicidal, and Huffman had said he had asked her if she would be upset if Parry killed himself.

Bobrowski said Parry admitted he fired repeatedly at police on two occasions because he was on parole and did not want to go back to prison.

View Comments

Bobrowski said Parry also "was very specific" about a device in the car, by then confiscated by police, that could blow up. A bomb squad took it out of the vehicle.

Under questioning from Parry's lawyer, Michael Misner, Bobrowski said there is no final report as yet, but the device retrieved from the car was not an "active explosive."

After binding the two over for trial, Atherton set Sept. 10 for an arraignment for both Parry and Huffman.


E-mail: lindat@desnews.com

Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.