MORONI, Utah, Aug. 12, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A Moroni man was booked into the Sanpete County jail Friday night on eight felonies related to domestic abuse and disarming a responding officer.
Gephardt Daily is withholding the man’s name to protect the privacy of child and adult victims.
Officers were called to the residence on a report of a man attacking his family.
“When I arrived, I made contact with victim 2 who told me that (the man) was armed with a firearm and was choking victim 1. I un-holstered my firearm and rapidly approached the front door to the home, calling out to the occupants inside,” say arrest documents filed by an officer with the Sanpete County Sheriff‘s Office.
“Victim 1 answered my call, saying that she was coming out. Victim 1 was exiting the home with her hands above her head, when (the man) appeared behind her. (He) was not listening to my commands to exit the home with his hands above his head, and began shouting profanities at me (Disorderly Conduct). (He) turned away from me in an effort to flee into a bedroom. I holstered my firearm, and engaged (the man) hands-on; fearing that he would return to his bedroom to retrieve a firearm.”
The man, who was in his mid 40s, attempted to push away the officer, who responded by forcing the man from the residence, arrest documents say. The officer detected the strong odor of alcohol on the man’s breath.
The man “continued to resist arrest, refusing my repeated commands to give me his hands and pulling away from me (Interfering with Arresting Officer). While attempting to take (the man) into custody, he reached back with his right hand and attempted to remove my firearm from its holster. I sprawled and retained control of my firearm (Disarm a Peace Officer).”
The man attempted to gain control of the firearm a second time, damaging the holster, the probable cause statement says. The deputy warned the man “a third attempt would be met with deadly force, to which he replied, ‘Shoot me (expletive)!’ (Disarm a Peace Officer).
The man ultimately was handcuffed and cleared by Sanpete Valley Hospital to be booked into jail.
During victim interviews, charging documents say, the SCSO deputy was told the dispute happened after an argument about household chores, and the man allegedly choked two victims multiple times and punched one in the face. After that, “victim 2 had armed herself with a pair of scissors and defended herself by stabbing (the man) in the head, stopping the attack. According to an interview conducted by a sergeant, victim 1 said that (the man) told her that he was going to kill her.”
The abuse of the two victims was witnessed by a juvenile, who was also choked by the man at one point, resulting in visible red marks on the neck, the affidavit says.
The man was arrested on suspicion of:
- Two counts of disarming a police officer, a first-degree felony
- Four counts of aggravated abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony
- Aggravated child abuse, intentionally or knowingly, a second-degree felony
- Domestic violence in the presence of child, injury/weapon/death, a third-degree felony
- Assault, a class B misdemeanor
- Interference with an arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Disorderly conduct after being asked to cease, a class B misdemeanor
- Failure to disclose identity, a class B misdemeanor
- Intoxication, a class C misdemeanor
The man was ordered to be held without bail.
