By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent

Meagan Dakota Grunwald

A 17-year old girl charged as an adult in the 50-mile long shooting spree January 30, that ended in the death of a highway patrol trooper and the wounding of a deputy made an appearance in court on Monday.
Defendant Meagan Dakota Grunwald, Draper, shackled at the wrists and ankles and wearing a bright yellow prisoner jumpsuit was led into the courtroom at the Provo Fourth District Court before Judge Darold McDade.
Her attorney, Dean Zabriskie, set a March 3 court date to decide whether a preliminary hearing will be held in the case.
Zabriskie told prosecutors that he also hopes to address her $1 million cash-only bail at that court appearance.
"We think the culpability is such that she should be charged as an adult," Deputy Utah County Attorney Sam Pead said following the short court appearance, "and so we are just going through that normal process."
Grunwald faces multiple felony charges in the shooting spree that began in Utah County with the fatal shooting of Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Cory Wride, the shooting that wounded Deputy Greg Sherwood and ended in Juab County in a shoot-out with four Juab County Deputies.
Grunwald was charged with six first-degree felonies last Wednesday: one count of aggravated murder, two counts of felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery.
She is also charged with other felonies including obstruction of justice; discharging a firearm; failing to stop at the command of police officer; and possession of a controlled substance.
Other charges are for criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor; and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, a class B misdemeanor.
Life in prison without parole is the maximum penalty Grunwald could face if convicted of aggravated murder. Because she is a minor, she is not eligible for the death penalty.
A joint affidavit in support of an arrest warrant was filed Wednesday by Acting Utah County Attorney Tim Taylor, Chad Grunander, chief deputy Utah County attorney; Jared Eldridge, Juab County Attorney; and AnnMarie Howard, Juab Senior Deputy County Attorney.
"I take very seriously my assignment to prosecute this defendant in conjunction with Utah County," said Howard. "I will keep in mind those officers and citizens of Juab County who were impacted by the actions of the defendant and the suspect during the crime spree. I trust that justice will be served through the criminal justice system. I will continue to represent the interests of Juab County as we proceed forward." 
Charging documents state that Grunwald had many chances to seek police assistance if she had wanted to escape from Garcia-Juaregui. It appeared that she wanted to stay with the suspect and appeared that she slammed on the brakes while Sherwood was in pursuit in order to close the gap between the truck she was driving and Sherwood's police car in order to shorten the distance.
A review of the various dash cam videos was made and were scrutinized prior to charges being made and to four Juab County deputies being cleared to return to work.
"As the 17-year old female drove, Garcia-Juaregui fired at least 10 times, sometimes at motorists, at four different locations during the 50-mile chase from Utah County into Juab County," said Jared Eldridge, Juab County Attorney. "At least six of those shots were fired inside Juab County. Two shots were fired at a UHP trooper, four or five shots were fired at motorists and two to three shots were fired at deputies."
When Wride stopped to help the two suspects near Eagle Mountain about 1 p.m. on Jan. 30, Grunwald was driving the truck that was registered to her mother. Grunwald gave the sergeant her driver's license, but Garcia-Juaregui gave him a false name.
"Once the shooting begins, Ms. Grunwald accelerates away from the shooting scene, leaving Sgt. Wride fatally wounded," states the warrant.
Wride's body wasn't discovered until 2:06 p.m. and Sherwood spotted the pickup truck just before 3 p.m. near Santaquin. The deputy was shot once in the head and critically injured.
The couple then proceeded on a wild 15-minute chase through Juab County where the truck Grunwald was driving had its tires spiked and it crashed in Nephi. Grunwald ran ahead of Garcia-Juaregui and flagged down a vehicle that was ultimately carjacked.
Garcia-Juaregui then carjacked the vehicle of a woman who was driving back from parent-teacher conferences at a nearby elementary school.
That vehicle also had its tires spiked on I-15 south of Nephi and crossed into oncoming traffic striking a minivan and, as Garcia-Juaregui attempted another carjack Grunwald again attempted to follow.
"She did not attempt to go to the Juab deputies on scene or seek safety from Mr. Garcia-Juaregui," read the affidavit.
Garcia-Juaregui was shot in a shoot-out with four Juab County Deputies and died the next day, not of the bullet wound but of blunt force trauma resulting from the shot.
Grunwald had been held in a juvenile detention center since the incident but was arrested Tuesday, was taken to the Utah County Jail where she was processed and was then transferred to the Adult Detention Center in Salt Lake County.
Taylor said she is in Salt Lake County to prevent any accusation of a conflict of interest on Utah County's part.