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Fugitive suspect taken into custody

Aaron Osowski, The Park Record

Summit and Wasatch lawmen took two suspects into custody after surrounding a house in Oakley on Thursday.

A Summit Wasatch Advanced Tactics (SWAT) team was summoned to the cabin, on River Road in Oakley, after receiving reports that a woman was being held against her will by a fugitive who was wanted for various felony and misdemeanor charges, including assault and tampering with a witness.

Two individuals in the Salt Lake Valley had called Summit County Sheriff’s dispatch to report that Terry Ann Flink, 44, of Salt Lake, called them complaining that Matthew George Nielsen, 46, of Salt Lake, had drugged her and was holding her captive. Nielsen is a former Salt Lake County deputy district attorney.

Summit County Sheriff’s Capt. Justin Martinez said the two individuals told Flink to contact the Sheriff’s Office. Flink did not, and so they contacted the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies discovered that Nielsen had been ordered by a court to go to drug rehabilitation in Heber but had failed to show up. The person said they believed he was staying at the aforementioned cabin but during first contact deputies did not find anyone at the residence.

A warrant was later obtained by Sheriff’s Office deputies and members of the SWAT team responded to the area and established a perimeter around the cabin. The team was activated at 6 p.m. on Thursday and the scene was cleared by 9:30 p.m. Eighteen members, including snipers, dispatchers, medical personnel and an entry team responded.

Since the landline phone at the cabin was not functioning and both individuals had their cell phones turned off, the SWAT team used a PA system to call into the residence. Flink came out the front door and told authorities that Nielsen had left.

Flink stated she believed she had been drugged by Nielsen. She also attempted to escape at one point but was tackled by Nielsen and dragged back into the house, Martinez said. Nielsen’s car had been found parked around the block near the residence.

The SWAT team then went in the cabin to clear the residence and found Nielsen hiding under a mattress in a bedroom. He was taken into custody and arrested on outstanding warrants including assault, falsely obtaining or dispensing prescription medication, threat of violence and tampering with a witness. The total amount Nielsen was booked for was over $600,000.

Flink was also arrested on a $1,500 outstanding alcohol-related warrant and was charged with harboring a person from arrest. Martinez said he was proud of how the SWAT team handled the situation.

"In a situation like this it could be a dangerous situation but through proper negotiations and good tactics, the situation wasn’t aggravated by the SWAT team and we were able to get both people out of the residence without creating a more hostile situation," Martinez said.

Summit County

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