Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A Sandy man who was pulled over for not having a valid license plate was arrested after police say he tried to grab a knife several times during the traffic stop.
Robert Wesley Taylor, 52, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of assault on an officer, interfering with a police officer, failing to disclose his identity, having a false title and registration, not having a valid license and three other vehicle infractions.
On Wednesday, Taylor was pulled over by Cottonwood Heights police for "displaying a 'Confederate States of America' license plate" where a regular license plate would be, according to a police booking affidavit. The officer spotted a Utah license plate in the rear window behind the driver's side seat after stopping the vehicle.
When the officer attempted to question Taylor, he would only roll down his window part way "and produced an 'American State National Credentials' card," the affidavit states. "(Taylor) later produced a U.S. passport card but would only display it and refused to allow me to take possession of it to view and verify."
Taylor was then ordered several times to get out of his car but he refused, according to police. When he eventually did get out and was asked if he was carrying any weapons, Taylor "mentioned having a knife and began reaching for it as he was told not to. (He) continued to reach for the knife at which point officers grabbed (his) hands and placed him into handcuffs," the affidavit says.
In June, Taylor was arrested and charged in 4th District Court in a similar case.
Orem police pulled Taylor over on June 14, but he refused to give them his driver's license or any vehicle or insurance information, according to charging documents.
"The license plate on (his) Tundra was falsified. The license plate was white with no valid state location, the license plate did not return to the VIN number of the Tundra," the charges state.
Taylor would only roll his window down a few inches and "held a white paper up to the dirty window with small writing explaining his beliefs," according to the charges. When an officer again asked for his driver's license, Taylor "shook his head no," showed him his passport and "tried to lecture the officer regarding his beliefs."
"(Taylor) told the officer he had no authority to ask for any personal information" and "demanded to speak with the officer's superior," the charges state.
Officers also noted a child was in the vehicle but not in a car seat and firearms were in the back seat, charging documents state. The officers allowed Taylor to go home and after he and his child were out of the vehicle, police impounded it.
Taylor was charged with forging a license plate, possessing a vehicle without an identification number, two counts of obstruction of justice, not having a valid license, failing to disclose his identity, driving without insurance and several other crimes.
