Car-jacking suspects appear in district court

By James Tilson

02-06-2019

MANTI—Two men charged in a car-jacking in Mt. Pleasant two weeks ago in which three high school students were held at gunpoint made their first appearances in Manti District Court last Wednesday.
Alex Hernandez, 18, and Kaden Parish, 20, both of Mt. Pleasant, appeared in front of Judge Wallace Lee. It was Hernandez’ first appearance, while Parish was there to waive his preliminary hearing.
Hernandez is charged with aggravated robbery (use of weapon) and kidnapping, both first-degree felonies; criminal mischief, a second-degree felony; and aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm, both third-degree felonies. Parish is charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony.
According to the probable cause statement, on Jan. 21 Hernandez and a teenage girl approached a 2004 Dodge Durango at 505 N. State in Mt. Pleasant
Hernandez pointed a gun at the three teens in the vehicle, got in the car along with the young woman, and forced the occupants to drive the car to 600 West and 500 South. Once there, Hernandez forced the occupants out of the vehicle while he got in the driver’s seat and drove away.
The stolen vehicle was found on Parley’s Lane just outside of Mt. Pleasant with multiple dents, broken fixtures and six bullet holes in the driver’s side.
Later that day, Sanpete sheriff’s deputies stopped and questioned Parish. He admitted he knew Hernandez had taken the car by force. According to the PC statement, Parish later assisted Hernandez to leave the scene where he had left the stolen vehicle. Hernandez was ultimately apprehended in Provo.
Parish’s attorney, Richard Gale, a public defender, told Judge Lee a possible resolution of Parish’s case was in the works but said the two sides needed more time to finish it. Gale asked the judge to re-set the hearing for 30 days.
Gale also said both sides had agreed to lower Parish’s bond to $1,000, along with pretrial supervision and no contact with the co-defendant. Judge Lee agreed, and set the next hearing for Feb. 27.
Gale said a different public defender would have to represent Hernandez. Judge Lee appointed Dana Facemeyer as Hernandez’s attorney and continued his initial appearance until Wednesday (after press time).