BYU NewsNet - Four BYU students arrested

Four BYU students, including three members of the BYU swim team, were arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail last week after being accused of stealing a rental car and a woman's purse that was in the front seat.

BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins confirmed the students' enrollment in the university and said an investigation has been initiated. Further details of the university's actions would be decided later in the week, Jenkins said.

"It is something that we're taking very seriously, and we're looking into it right now," she said.

According to police reports, Matthew Rados of American Canyon, Calif.; Christopher Parker of Silvervale, Wash.; Madison Gray of Winnemucca, Nev.; and Jacob Jones of Scranton, Pa., found a set of lost keys at Wal-Mart in Orem on Oct. 29 and located a Chevrolet rental car belonging to one of the shoppers. Two of the suspects drove away in the car, while two more followed in another vehicle.

The woman who rented the vehicle called police to report the stolen purse and car. According to the police, the students drove the car to a gas station in American Fork where they were unsuccessful in buying gas for the fuel tank. The students were also unsuccessful in using a card at a Sonic Burger fast-food restaurant.

The car was abandoned two weeks later on a city street in Nephi, but the woman's purse was not recovered.

The Orem Police Department could not be reached by The Daily Universe for additional comment. Jenkins said an Honor Code review was ongoing.

All three male suspects were released Nov. 25 on a cash bail of $2,500, while Gray was released on a $5,000 bail bond on Nov. 26, the Utah County Sheriff's Department said.

Rados, Parker and Jones were charged with one count of unlawful acquisition, one count of theft of purse and one count of theft of vehicle. Gray was charged with one count each of vehicle theft and theft of purse, as well as unlawful acquisition of a credit card.

BYU Athletic Communications declined to comment on the matter, or how the swim team will handle the issue. Rados recently came off a meet at the Nike Cup in Long Beach, Calif., Nov. 20-22, where he competed in the 1,000-meter freestyle event final, the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breast stroke. Gray competed in the finals of the 200-meter backstroke.