What are the penalties for striking a police officer in Utah?
Cedar City, UT – There were news reports that a suspect was arrested for attempting to assault police officers in Cedar City [1].
Suspect allegedly attempted to hit police with a golf club
A man was arrested following a violent confrontation with law enforcement in the parking lot of a convenience store in Cedar City, Utah, on a Sunday evening in late December 2025.
The incident stemmed from an attempted traffic stop the previous evening. A highway patrol trooper tried to pull over a white Dodge Ram pickup truck because its registered owner had an active warrant related to marijuana possession from another county. The driver failed to stop and fled the scene, apparently to evade arrest on the warrant.
Approximately 24 hours later, around 8:10 p.m., another trooper spotted the same vehicle entering the parking lot of a Maverik store located along Old Highway 91. The truck backed into a space in what appeared to be an effort to hide its license plate. The trooper recognized the vehicle from the prior pursuit and confirmed the driver matched the suspect through identification records. As the man and a companion entered and then exited the store, the trooper called for backup, determined not to allow another escape.
Officers positioned their patrol vehicles to block the pickup, preventing it from leaving. When they issued commands, the suspect exited the truck, went to the bed, and retrieved two golf clubs. He then allegedly swung one of the clubs at the officers, striking one multiple times—specifically three blows to the lower leg and ankle area—during the struggle.
Multiple officers attempted to subdue him with a Taser, but the device proved ineffective. Resistance continued until a sheriff’s K-9 unit arrived with its handler. Upon seeing the police dog, the suspect ceased fighting, complied with commands, and was taken into custody.
He received medical clearance at a local hospital before being booked into the county jail. Authorities charged him with five counts of assault on a police officer using a dangerous weapon (a second-degree felony), one count of interfering with an officer (a class B misdemeanor), and two misdemeanor counts involving possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The suspect remained in custody pending his initial court appearance, which had not yet been scheduled and it was unclear if the suspect retained a top criminal defense lawyer in Utah.
What kind of charges can the suspect face for assault or battery related to these crimes?
In the described incident, the suspect allegedly swung a golf club at law enforcement officers during an attempt to subdue and arrest him, striking one officer multiple times in the lower leg and ankle. Under Utah law, this conduct primarily supports charges related to assault on peace officers, particularly when a dangerous weapon is involved.
The key statute is Utah Code § 76-5-102.4, which addresses assault against a peace officer. Assault is defined by reference to § 76-5-102 as an attempt or threat with unlawful force or violence to do bodily injury, or an act causing bodily injury or substantial risk thereof. When committed against a peace officer acting in the scope of authority, with knowledge of their status, the base offense is a class A misdemeanor.
However, the penalties escalate significantly under Subsection (3)(c): if the actor uses a dangerous weapon, the violation becomes a second-degree felony. A “dangerous weapon” includes any item capable of causing death or serious bodily injury (or its facsimile if it leads the victim to reasonably believe so). A golf club, when swung at officers to strike them, qualifies as such an object in the manner of its use.
Here, the suspect faced five counts of assault on a police officer with a dangerous weapon, each charged as a second-degree felony. This aligns with the statute, as the alleged repeated strikes with the club during the altercation meet the criteria for elevated classification. A second-degree felony in Utah carries penalties of 1 to 15 years in prison and fines up to $10,000 per count. Multiple counts could lead to consecutive sentencing, substantially increasing potential prison time, depending on prosecutorial decisions, judicial discretion, and factors like prior record or injury severity. Assistance from the best criminal defense lawyer in Utah is recommended to defend against the most serious penalties.
Additional assault-related charges could arise under broader provisions, such as aggravated assault (§ 76-5-103), a third-degree felony (0-5 years, up to $5,000 fine) if involving a dangerous weapon or means likely to cause serious injury. It elevates to a second-degree felony if serious bodily injury results, or potentially first-degree (5 years to life, up to $10,000 fine) if targeting law enforcement and causing serious injury. In this case, the injuries appear limited to leg/ankle strikes without reported serious harm, so the specific officer assault statute with the weapon enhancement fits most directly.
The interference charge (§ 76-8-305), a class B misdemeanor (up to 6 months jail, $1,000 fine), covers resisting or impeding lawful arrest through force, refusal of orders, or other hindrance—applicable to the overall non-compliance and physical resistance before the K-9 intervention.
Overall, the assault-related charges represent the most severe potential consequences, with felony-level exposure emphasizing the heightened protections for officers and the risks of using improvised weapons against them. Convictions on multiple counts could result in lengthy incarceration, fines, probation, restitution, and long-term impacts like loss of rights.
Assistance with criminal charges in Utah
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Sources:
- https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/arrests/man-arrested-at-cedar-city-convenience-store-after-allegedly-swinging-golf-club-at-officers/article_21c629d0-88d4-499c-b916-f98fbbd3e6f3.html
