UPDATE: Father And Son Accused of Brutalizing Utah Family Waive Extradition

Flint Harrison, 51, of Salt Lake City, and his son Dereck James (DJ) Harrison, 22, of Centerville, are in custody Saturday night. Photo Courtesy: Centerville Police

SUBLETTE COUNTY, Wyoming, May 17, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Two men accused of kidnapping and assaulting a Centerville mom and her four daughters have waived extradition and will be returned to Utah.

Father and son duo Dereck and Flint Harrison were in court on Monday and both decided not to waive extradition, but on Tuesday changed their minds.

Original story:

CENTERVILLE, Utah, May 14, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah father and son who police say attacked a woman with a baseball bat in Centerville while her four daughters were tied up and forced to watch Tuesday night were in custody Saturday night.

Flint Wayne Harrison, 51, of Salt Lake City, turned himself into authorities in Sublette County, Wyoming, early Saturday morning, at 1:45 a.m., and began assisting investigators in locating his son.

Flint’s son, Dereck James (DJ) Harrison, 22, of Centerville, said to have taken part in the beatings, was believed to be in Half Moon Lake area of Sublette County, Wyoming.

The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Dereck Harrison was taken into custody without incident Saturday sometime around 10 p.m.

The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday afternoon, that in a coordinated effort led by the Sheriff’s Office Incident Command, law enforcement officers from Sublette County, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Green River Police Department and the Rock Springs Police Department were searching areas of interest in the Half Moon Lake area and surrounding forests.

A helicopter from the Utah Division of Public Services was also on hand to assist with the search as efforts continued on the ground.

As of 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the Half Moon Lake campground had been evacuated by law enforcement and nearby homes and buildings were also cleared. One camper stated that he had seen a man fitting the description running away from the campsite earlier Saturday morning, and searches continued Saturday afternoon.

A search warrant was also served on the home of Flint Harrison, at an address in Pinedale. The home was clear and there was no sign that his son had been in the home.

Dereck Harrison was believed to be armed with two knives, and was possibly carrying a .300 win mag rifle and a .22 Remington 10/22 with high capacity magazines. It is reported that he had limited camping gear and food supplies. He had made several direct threats to law enforcement.

The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office blocked access to Fremont Lake Road and advised citizens to stay away from the area until further notice. The Sheriff’s Office also asked that residents of Pinedale stayed in their homes until the suspect was apprehended.

The Sublette Sheriff’s Office said Saturday evening Flint Harrison spoke little about the criminal case with investigators, and that case is still actively being investigated by Centerville Police Department. He did describe the location where he left his son sometime during the evening of Friday, May 13, before making his way to the detention center in Pinedale.

Shortly before dusk, ground teams located a makeshift campsite with gear that had been reported as being in the possession of Dereck Harrison. Not long after that, he was taken into custody, though details of his arrest were not immediately available.

Centerville Police said detectives and U.S. Marshals worked on leads throughout the week as they developed. Officials made contact with family, friends, and acquaintances trying to locate the younger and elder Harrison.

During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Centerville Police Lt. Von Steenblik said officers searching for the men did locate a weapon and a 2011 Silver Chevrolet Suburban.

The incident happened just after 6 p.m. at 190 N. 700 East in Centerville when police received a 911 call for help from one of the victim’s four daughters, who had managed to break free from her restraints.

Steenlik said the mother and her daughters, who range in age from 13 to 18, were lured to the home by two people the mother knew for a barbecue.

Once the mother and daughters arrived, Flint and Dereck Harrison allegedly took the girls to the basement, and bound them with wire and duct tape.

Police investigators say the suspects were armed with a shotgun and a baseball bat. While the mother was tied up, police say the suspects began beating her with the bat.

The girls broke free from their restraints, and ran out of the house, screaming for help. As they ran outside, the suspects hit some of the girls with the bat.

The mother was also able to break free, and she and her daughters ran to seek help from neighbors. The mother and one daughter were transported to the hospital for treatment.

The suspects left the scene in the Suburban.

The motive appears to be retaliation against the mother, but Steenblik said the exact reason is still under investigation.

centerville map baseball bat beating2

 

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here