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WEST VALLEY CITY — Officers responding to a call about a vehicle theft Tuesday found a man dead in the street a short distance away.
A man called police around 6:10 p.m to report someone had stolen a Dodge pickup truck near 4500 S. Honeywood St., said West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku.
Police responded and didn't encounter a fleeing vehicle, but located a man in the middle of the street while searching the area of 5050 Royal Ann St. a couple of blocks away, Vainuku said. It wasn't clear Tuesday night whether the man's death was connected to the reported vehicle theft.
The man was "badly injured" and his injuries were "apparent," according to Vainuku, though she didn't specify the nature of the injuries.
Dispatchers lost contact with the caller and hadn't re-established contact Tuesday night.
"This is very early in the investigative process and so we're trying to work through who this person might be and what his relationship is to who made that original call," Vainuku said.
Investigators believe the Dodge pickup reported stolen is a 2000 model with Utah license plate No. C403K. The truck had a silver toolbox in the back and possibly was pulling a white trailer.
West Valley police used tents to preserve evidence at the scene during snowfall.
The deceased man's name wasn't immediately released.
