SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah, Dec. 29, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Court documents reveal details in the case of a man accused of punching an officer, and who came “dangerously close to removing a firearm from two peace officers, which would have likely resulted in death or serious injury.”
The details are from a South Salt Lake Police probable cause statement filed on Dec. 20 in the arrest of Cameron Michael Ward.
The affidavit says Ward, 25, approached an officer while he was investigating a case near 136 W. 3300 South, where a UTA bus driver had been physically assaulted and seriously injured, allegedly by Ward.
“I was approached by Cameron Ward. Cameron was yelling in a public place and covered in blood,” the officer’s statement says.
“Cameron appeared to be agitated and began to approach me, coming within feet of me. I ordered Cameron to sit on a nearby curb multiple times and he refused. I reached out to use arrest control techniques to safely place Cameron in handcuffs and Cameron began to punch me in the face.
“While on the ground trying to subdue Cameron he grabbed onto my firearm with his left hand and began to pull on it.”
Other officers arrived, and Ward kicked one of them in the torso, the statement says.
“Cameron also grabbed onto another officer’s firearm and began to pull on it and ignored several commands to stop trying to remove the firearm.”
Ward was subdued and transported to the Salt Lake County jail. He was found to be out on bail while awaiting trial on a previous felony charge. He also has multiple felony warrants for assault on a peace officer, the probable cause statement says.
Ward was charge on suspicion of:
- Two counts of disarming a police officer – firearm, a first-degree felony
- Two counts of assault on peace officer or military service member in uniform, a class A misdemeanor
- Interfering with an officer, a class B misdemeanor
He is being held without bail.
