FARMINGTON, Utah, Oct. 1, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A South Ogden man accused of injuring Kaysville Police officers who tried to restrain him when he set himself on fire at a local Chevron station has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Tyler Ray Ivison, 26, was charged in the April 5 incident with:
- Aggravated arson, a first-degree felony
- Four counts of assault against a peace officer, a second-degree felony
- Criminal mischief, intentional damage, defacing or destruction of property, a third-degree felony
- Assault/threat of violence on a health care provider/EMS, a class A misdemeanor
According to Ivison’s probable cause statement, he was observed on April 5 of this year purchasing a gas can, filling it with gas, and going to the Chevron station’s bathroom, where he poured the gas over himself and the floor.
“Defendant then produced a lighter, acting if he was going to ignite the gasoline,” the statement says. “At this point, multiple law enforcement officers attempted to intervene to stop defendant from lighting the gasoline and injuring himself or others. After attempts to talk the defendant down were unsuccessful, officers attempted to physically restrain the defendant.
“During this process, defendant leaned down and ignited the gasoline on the floor with the lighter, lighting him and multiple officers on fire in the process.”
The action was captured on officers’ body cams.
“Defendant’s act caused serious injuries to two officers, requiring hospitalization and long term recovery,” the statement says. “Defendant’s act also inflicted minor burns on two other officers.
“Defendant also suffered serious burns due to his actions. As a result, he was airlifted by medical helicopter to the University of Utah hospital in Salt Lake City. While the helicopter was attempting to land at the hospital’s heli-pad, defendant broke free from his restraints and began violently kicking the helicopter’s window and door in an effort to escape from the helicopter.
“In so doing, defendant broke out the window in the main access door for the helicopter, causing $2,156.45 in damages to the helicopter. When the in-flight nurse attempted to restrain the defendant so that the defendant wouldn’t further injure himself or others, defendant grabbed the worker by the face, tearing at the nurse’s cheeks.”
All those who were injured survived.
Following the incident, Ivison’s brother-in-law thanked police for thwarting the apparent suicide attempt, and said Ivison was schizophrenic, and had not received proper care from the healthcare system.
Ivison was subsequently released from the hospital, and on Aug. 22, he was charged in connection with the Chevron incident. He was booked into the Davis County Jail on Sept. 5, and remains there in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Ivison’s next court date, for a pretrial conference, is Oct. 24 in Farmington’s second District Court.
