Utah woman shows locksmith 911 written on hand during alleged kidnapping

File photo: Pixabay/ Ashby C. Sorensen

MIDWAY, Utah, Oct. 5, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A Midway woman escaped an alleged kidnapping by writing 911 on her hand and showing it to a locksmith that came to her home.

A probable cause statement from the 4th District Court of Wasatch County said Grant Nielsen Eggertsen, 45, is facing charges of:

  • Aggravated kidnapping, a third-degree felony
  • Damage/interrupt communication device, a class B misdemeanor
  • Assault, a class B misdemeanor

On Friday, the arresting officer was dispatched to a possible domestic violence incident at an address in Midway, the statement said.

“Dispatch stated that an employee that was a locksmith called in stating that he changed the lock on a front door for a female and on her hand she had 911 written and showed it to him,” the statement said. “The complainant stated that a male was there as well and he was close to her the whole time and when she was going to pay by using her phone, she had to ask the male for the phone.”

The arresting officer went to the address and knocked on the door, the statement said.

“A female who was later identified as the victim quickly opened the door and walked fast out the front door and stated that he was downstairs in the house,” the statement said. “When I entered I could hear a male in the back bedroom. I made contact with the male, who was identified as Grant Eggertsen.”

The arresting officer asked Eggertsen what had happened and he responded that they had argued “and that was it,” the statement said. The two were known to each other.

“I asked about her cell phone and where it was,” the statement said. “Grant said that it was in the bathroom. I asked about him taking it from her and not giving it back when she asked for it. Grant said that she had his phone and he had her phone and they were going through each other’s phones. Grant said that he did not know she wanted it back but he did get his phone back.”

Eggertsen said he had given the woman her phone to pay the locksmith.

“I asked if it got physical between them at all,” the statement said. “Grant stated that it did not. I spoke with the victim and she stated that Grant arrived last night and he had a key to her house. She said that Grant walked in unannounced and took her phone.”

She said she asked the suspect to leave multiple times and that he would not leave and he was holding her in her room against her will on her bed.

“She said that Grant put his hands on her face and pushed against her face hard and it was hurting her eyes,” the statement said. “She said that Grant began telling her that he was going to take a pare knife and stab himself with it in the throat and that she has not seen the worst of it yet and he would burn her house down. She said that she became compliant to appease his behavior and he kept her phone and would not let her call for help.”

The victim said that a locksmith was coming the following morning and when he arrived she wrote 911 on her hand and showed him, the statement said. The victim said that she was subsequently able to go upstairs and send two emails asking for help. The arresting officer saw the emails and had the victim forward him the emails. The officer also observed the victim’s hand, which had 911 written on it.

Eggertsen subsequently said he did not squeeze the victim’s face, he just touched it. He was placed under arrest for assault, as well as the two other charges.

He was transported to Wasatch County Jail, where he is being held without bail.

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