SYRACUSE, Utah, Dec. 27, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A 20-year-old woman is facing 11 charges after Syracuse police responded on Christmas night to a report of a hit and run, then a second collision that involved a vehicle of the same description.
“It was reported a maroon SUV style vehicle had collided with a vehicle and left the scene,” says a statement filed by an officer of the Syracuse Police Department. “Prior to me arriving it was reported another ‘hit and run’ occurred a few blocks away with a maroon SUV.”
The officer arrived at the second site “and found a large group of persons in the street, surrounding a female, who was pointed out as having been in physical control of the maroon SUV,” the statement says. “The SUV had extensive damage to the vehicle.”
The Syracuse officer identified himself to the female suspect, 20-year-old Rhaydea Jane Hull Thomas.
“I talked with Thomas, whose speech was slurred and had loss of balance,” the statement says. “Being the vehicle was reported of having collided with two vehicles and not stopping to report the incident, I felt Thomas may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Thomas agreed to take a field sobriety test, the affidavit says. The officer’s statement says he smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from her, and noted the various ways she failed on the test, including a lack of smooth eye movement and physical coordination, and trouble holding her balancing.
“I concluded Thomas could not safely operate a motor vehicle,” the officer’s statement says. “I informed Thomas was under arrest and to place behind her back. As I was attempting to get Thomas to comply, Thomas turned and attempted to run away from me.”
A Layton City Police officer stopped the suspect, and Thomas “began throwing her arms in a manner to strike the Layton officer,” the probable cause statement says. “The Layton officer was struck by Thomas on the side of the face.” Another Syracuse officer “was also kicked and hit by Thomas.”
The reporting officer said he also tried to gain control of Thomas, and she “raised her legs and struck me in my body and side of head.” As the Layton and other Syracuse officers continued to try to gain control of Thomas, she attempted to dig her fingernails into their hands, causing minor abrasions, scrapes and cuts,” the statement says, adding that the suspect also “lifted her head up and propelled saliva out of her mouth towards the face of the Layton officer,” who turned away and was hit with the saliva in the hair.
Thomas was then handcuffed, and “as I released the legs to sit Thomas up, she began kicking again which struck me in the chest/stomach area,” the reporting officer wrote.
Thomas also kicked medical responder in the chest, the statement adds.
The heavily damaged SUV, which was uninsured, was towed.
Thomas faces charges of:
- Four counts of assault on a peace officer or military service member in uniform, a class A misdemeanor
- Propelling a bodily substance toward face/eyes/mouth, a class A misdemeanor
- Interference with arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor
- DUI, alcohol/drugs or combo, a class B misdemeanor
- Purchase, possession, consume by minor, measurable amounts, a class B misdemeanor
- Two counts of accident involve property damage, a class B misdemeanor
- Operating vehicle without insurance, a class C misdemeanor
In the early hours of Dec. 26, Thomas was booked into the Davis County jail, with bail set at $2,500. As of Monday afternoon, her name still appeared on the inmate roster.
