WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Dec. 10, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A West Valley City man is facing some serious charges after police say he entered a neighbor’s home Monday night and threatened and assaulted the occupants with a firearm.
The incident began at about 10:30 p.m. in Meadowbrook Village Mobile Home Park, at 1244 Hummingbird St.
Lt. Shane Matheson, West Valley City Police Department, told Gephardt Daily the two male victims were asleep at home, when one of them awoke to see a man holding a 40 cal. handgun on him.
The suspect lives about five houses down from the victims, and Matheson described them as “acquaintances, but not what you’d call friends.”
Matheson said the suspect, who was intoxicated, was “demanding some items,” and when the victim was slow to react, the suspect pistol-whipped him.
The man’s roommate woke up, saw what was happening, and persuaded the suspect to go outside with him. They got into the roommate’s vehicle, Matheson said, and the suspect fired the gun, “fortunately without hitting anyone.”
The suspect then left the vehicle and went home.
When officers arrived, they pieced together the somewhat confusing details of the suspect’s behavior.
The victim who was pistol-whipped was cleared by medics on scene and did not need to go to the hospital.
The suspect was located and taken into custody. He has been identified as Jerry Alacarez, 39.
Alacarez is facing charges of aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon by a restricted person, and discharge of a firearm.
Matheson said officers were in the process of obtaining a search warrant so they can retrieve the handgun from Alacarez’s home.
