SALT LAKE CITY - Jason Valdez is no stranger to Utah police, but his latest brush with the law might have been the most public.
Valdez, 36, held a woman hostage at a motel in a 16-hour, overnight standoff with SWAT teams, all while finding time to keep his family and friends updated on Facebook, authorities said.
He even got help over the social network: A friend posted that a SWAT officer was hiding in the bushes.
"Thank you homie," he replied. "Good looking out."
When officers swarmed the room, Valdez shot himself in the chest with a handgun, police in Ogden said. He was in critical condition yesterday.
The Associated Press reviewed Valdez's Facebook profile page yesterday. Police think he wrote the messages during the standoff.
It wasn't immediately clear, however, whether police were following the posts in real time, although the department spokeswoman said that officers routinely search the Internet and other sources for background on suspects.
In all, Valdez made six posts and added at least a dozen new friends.
His family and friends responded with 100 comments. Some people offered support; others pleaded for him to "do the right thing."
Court records show that Valdez has convictions for aggravated assault and domestic violence.
In March, prosecutors filed felony and misdemeanor drug-possession charges against Valdez. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest after he missed a June 1 preliminary hearing.
On Friday afternoon, police tried to arrest Valdez on a warrant. Valdez barricaded himself inside the Western Colony Inn.
"I'm currently in a standoff kinda ugly, but ready for whatever," Valdez wrote in his first post at 11:23 p.m. "I love u guyz and if I don't make it out of here alive that I'm in a better place and u were all great friends."
In his posts, Valdez told friends when police shut off the power that his "hostage" was fine - and with him willingly - and that police were jeopardizing her life by their actions.
At 2:04 a.m., Valdez posted two pictures of himself and the woman. "Got a cute 'Hostage' huh," he wrote.
At 3:48 a.m., one of Valdez's friends posted that police had a 'gun ner in the bushes stay low." Valdez thanked him in a reply.
The final post was at 7:25a.m. Saturday: "Well i was lettin this girl go but these dumb bastards made an attempt to come in after i told them not to, so i popped off a couple more shots and now were startin all over again it seems "
SWAT officers stormed Valdez's room about 90 minutes later.
Now, authorities are discussing whether some of Valdez's friends should be charged with obstruction of justice for hampering a police investigation.
The Columbus Dispatch
AP
Now, authorities are discussing whether some of Valdez's friends should be charged with obstruction of justice for hampering a police investigation.
Should the authorities go after Valdez's friends with obstruction of justice?
I say go after these little shitheads! 
Anymore, all I see is lack of respect that a lot of people show for law enforement. 
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| Hostage-taker used Facebook |
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