LEHI, Utah, March 12, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — A 42-year-old Lehi man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly choked a juvenile after a volleyball tournament.
Court documents say Nathan Jack Speaker and his family members were among the last people remaining at the gymnasium at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wardhouse, at 481 E. 300 North, in Lehi. Others remaining included the juvenile and an adult, court documents say.
“As the children were knocking the volleyball around, the juvenile victim stepped in front of Nathan and hit the ball away from him,” the arrest document says.
“This caused Nathan to become upset and grab the juvenile victim by the throat. Nathan lifted the juvenile victim completely off the ground and the victim stated he could not breath during this.
“Nathan then threw the juvenile victim across the room, where the victim hit into one of Nathan’s own children and they collided heads. The juvenile victim received a contusion to his right eye and a scrape to his left knee by being thrown.”
The adult witness did not see the assault, the court document says, “but witnessed the juvenile victim holding his throat and crying immediately after it occurred. The juvenile victim then began to yell at Nathan, stating he choked him. The adult witness had to physically step between Nathan and the juvenile victim as Nathan began to re-approach the juvenile victim.
“The juvenile victim yelled for Nathan to stay away from him. The juvenile was taken home by the adult witness and reported to his mother the incident.
“Later that night Nathan left a handwritten apology letter to the victim and his family stating he was sorry for what he had done to the juvenile victim. After leaving the letter for the victim, Nathan text messaged the victim’s mother and pleaded not to report the incident to the police.”
Speaker also spoke to the child’s father, “who has commented to the mother that a report does not need to be filed.”
Speaker is on probation after conviction for a similar incident involving a young family member, the Lehi Police statement says.
“Nathan has made comments to neighbors that if he were to be arrested and sent to jail for this incident he would commit suicide. The juvenile victim and his mother have expressed that they are very scared of Nathan and his behavior.”
As the investigation progressed, Speaker was informed he would be arrested, the police statement says.
“Nathan was advised by phone that he would be taken into custody of these charges. Nathan actively evaded apprehension by leaving his residence and staying at an unknown location. It took almost four days to locate Nathan and take him into custody. Family members knew where Nathan was staying but would not tell law enforcement.”
Speaker was arrested Tuesday morning, the statement says. He was ordered held without bail after the arresting officer noted Speaker had planned trips to Southern California and to Texas, and could elect not to return to Utah for prosecution.
Speaker was arrested for investigation of alleged:
- Aggravated child abuse, intentional or knowingly, a second-degree felony
- Tampering with a witness, a second-degree felony
People considering suicide are urged to call 988, a national crisis line.
