A dog-gone good story

By Rick Sherman

Malyn Brady of Elmo was happy to get her car back after it was stolen but she was even happier for the return of her dog, Hazel, who was in the back seat when the red PT Cruiser was stolen from Gas N Go in Price on March 18.
Malyn, who works at the convenience store, said she parked in back to add air to a tire, and went inside for a drink and a snack, and to check her work schedule. While in the store, a friend phoned to alert her that the vehicle was being driven by someone unknown to them. Brady recalled, “I went outside because I freaked out. I was like, what? I mean, in Price, Utah, we all run in and come back out. I was just going to get my drink and it was gone!” The incident was reported to Price Police.
Police listed the vehicle as stolen and an attempt-to-locate was broadcast by Public Safety Dispatch. Gas N Go security video was also reviewed for images and the culprits were determined to be a Native American male and a Hispanic female, according to a news release from the Price Police Department.
The vehicle was later found abandoned in Tooele, but many personal belongings had been discarded and Hazel was still missing. And Hazel is hard to miss- she’s an English/King Corso Mastiff weighing about 120 pounds. She has a distinctive brindle coloration and wears a bright pink collar. She also has a litter of puppies due April 1.
Brady began reaching out for help on Facebook and the response was almost immediate. Two Tooele residents reported having had recent contact with a Hispanic female walking a dog matching Hazel’s description, and trying to give the dog away.
After a second encounter, one of the residents took possession of Hazel and notified Tooele Police. She also contacted Brady via Facebook. The emotion was evident as Malyn talked about Hazel. “Ever since I’ve had my dog she’s been right there by me. She’s actually my girls’ Nanny. She’ll sit and watch them play with their Barbies and make sure that no one’s buggin’ them. Hazel’s always been there,” she related.
Tooele Police set up surveillance of a residence where the suspects were said to be staying. When the suspects returned, they were contacted by police and were identified as 36-year old Remus R. Gray and 31-year old Sheena Marie Nevarez, both of Tooele. Gray was immediately taken into custody on a Board of Pardons no-bail warrant for his arrest. Police said during interviews both suspects acknowledged they were the subjects in the Gas N Go video stills provided by the Price PD. Officers also allegedly found the pair to be in possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia, as well as property belonging to Malyn Brady.
Gray was booked into the Tooele County Jail on the outstanding warrant and both subjects were charged with of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Gray has an extensive criminal history with 17 previous arrests, and Nevarez has a record of eight arrests.
They will be referred to the Carbon County Attorney’s Office for charges of Automobile Theft and Criminal Mischief. Restitution for damage and costs will also be sought on behalf of the victim.
But that restitution may be a long time in coming, and the happy ending is tempered by the expenses associated with retrieving the vehicle. Brady said she has tapped out her emergency fund to cover the insurance deductible, towing costs, a new key from a dealership, overnight lodging and other expenses, including repairs to the vehicle. There is also the inconvenience of having to replace registration, insurance and other documents that were in the car, including this year’s tax returns. “They even threw out my air freshener,” she added.
Brady said she is grateful to the police in Price and Tooele, and also to Taylor Danson, the Tooele resident who spotted Hazel and called police. She said a special shout out goes to Debbie Jones of Helper who spearheaded the social media campaign and chipped in for the reward that was posted on Facebook. “It was very heart-warming for Debbie to do that for my ‘pup’,” she remarked.