SPRINGVILLE, Utah, Feb. 2, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A Springville Police officer was attacked by a man he was questioning on Friday, and the punching continued until a passing citizen pulled a gun and demanded the suspect stop.
The incident happened at about 1:57 p.m. in the area of 700 S. Main St., a statement from the Springville Police Department says. The officer, whose name has not been released, came upon the suspect inside a donation box for Tabitha’s Way.
The man, later identified as 40-year-old Paul Douglas Anderson, of Spanish Fork, was completely inside the donation box except for his feet, which were hanging out, the statement says.
The officer approached Anderson and asked him to get out of the donation box so they could talk. Anderson got out of the box, the statement said, but put his hands in his pockets.
The officer asked Anderson multiple times to pull his hands out of his pockets, but Anderson would not comply, the statement says. As the officer continued to talk, Anderson attacked the officer, punching him in the face multiple times.
“A citizen passing through the area in his vehicle witnessed the attack and turned around to help the officer,” the SPD statement says.
“The citizen, who has a concealed firearm permit, drew his gun and ordered Anderson to stop. Anderson then ran from the area.”
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded, and began searching for Anderson. An elementary school was put on lockout.
About 30 minutes later, a witness noticed a man hiding under a flatbed trailer across the street from where the attack happened. The man, Anderson, was taken into custody without further incident.
The injured officer was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of a fractured eye socket and lacerations to his face.
Anderson was booked into Utah County Jail on charges of:
- Aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony
- Burglary of a vehicle, a class-A misdemeanor
- Failure to stop at the command of a law enforcement officer, a class-A misdemeanor
- Interference with an arresting officer, a class-B misdemeanor
- Theft, a class-B misdemeanor
- Criminal mischief, a class-B misdemeanor
