Whiterocks, UT (July 22, 2022) – 65-year-old Douglas Wootton has been arrested and booked on a single count of aggravated assault after he used his horse to run down another man in Uintah County on Tuesday, July 19th.
The Uintah County Sheriff was dispatched to the area of the Loggers Cabin on Mosby Mountain at about 1:30 p.m. when, according to a probable cause statement, the victim was unloading a four-wheeler from his pick-up truck when Wootton approached him on horseback.
The victim said Wootton drew near, yelling “now that we are alone, what have you got to say to me?”
Arresting documents show that Wootton then galloped his horse straight at the victim, striking his chest. The impact left him pinned against the pick-up.
Wootton turned his horse around and whipped and kicked it to get it to charge at the victim once more, again slamming the victim against his truck.
As Wootton was commanding his horse to continually trample the victim, the besieged man managed to grab the horse’s reins near the bit and turn the animal away but not before it struck him for the third time.
Wootton’s wife and grandchildren, also on horseback, were able to see the altercation and rode away.
The victim sustained injuries to his left arm as well as injuries to his lower back pain that impact his ability to walk.
Wootton was charged with one count of aggravated assault for using a horse as a deadly weapon to knowingly commit serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony in Uintah County.
Our thoughts are with the injured victim and their family at this time. We hope for their full recovery.
Although closely related, assault and battery are separate offenses, both of which can cause serious injuries to the victim. While these crimes typically result in criminal proceedings, victims can also bring a civil suit against their attacker. In criminal court, the defendant could face jail time if they are found guilty whereas a civil suit provides the victim with a way to collect compensation for their injuries.
In a civil case, the burden of proof is far less than what is required in a criminal trial where the accused must be found guilty beyond all reasonable doubt.
An intentional tort, like assault and battery, does not expect a claimant to satisfy this burden. Rather, they are required to show a preponderance of evidence that the accused intentionally sought to cause harm.
Unfortunately, victims of assault and battery usually endure serious injuries that burden them with not just physical pain and significant hospital bills, but emotional trauma as well.
If you were the victim of assault or battery, it is essential to your recovery that you reach out to a personal injury attorney to learn about your legal options.
AtJardine Law Offices P.C. P. C., our Utah personal injury attorneys fight to make sure that our clients get the justice they deserve. Our lawyers study the events surrounding your case to establish the most prudent course of action. We construct compelling legal claims that we leverage against defendants while soliciting the maximum amount of financial compensation.
If you have been a victim of assault, contact our personal injury attorneys at (801) 350-3506 to schedule a free case evaluation to see how we can help you.
Notes: The details and information utilized to create this post were gathered through the use of secondary sources. The details surrounding this accident have not been independently verified by the writing staff at Jardine Law Offices P.C.. These sources include but are not limited to newspaper stories, local news sources, local and state police reports, and eyewitness accounts about serious accidents that take place in Farmington and Salt Lake City, Utah. If you locate any information that is inaccurate, please contact us right away so that we can update the post with the most accurate information available. If you would like the post to be removed, please let us know and we will remove it as soon as possible.
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