By Travis Uresk
1/19/25
| Vernal, Ut. | January 19th, 2025 |
At approximately 2:13 am, Deputy Oldham responded to a domestic violence call. When the deputy arrived, Officer Maughan informed him the victim was emotional but reported that earlier in the evening, she was out with her boyfriend, 22-year-old Kevin Jesus Lopez.
They got into an argument because Kevin was upset with the victim because she was dancing with her sister. When they got home, Kevin was put to bed by the victim's brother-in-law due to being so intoxicated.
Later, Kevin came downstairs and was being civil with the victim. When the brother-in-law and sister then went upstairs, Kevin became aggressive with the victim, getting in her face and making threats.
The victim stated Kevin grabbed her arms, leaving marks, and punched her in the face hard enough, knocking out her earring.
Deputy Oldham observed the victim's injuries were consistent with her statements, including the marks on both arms, a missing earring, and a broken bracelet.
The victim's niece and nephew reported being woken up by yelling and seeing Kevin chasing the victim.
On this same morning, when the assault call came through dispatch and it was reported the suspect Kevin Lopez departed the location prior to officers' arrival.
Officer McGaha was traveling through Vernal on 500 South, approaching 500 West, when an SUV traveled at a high rate of speed to his North. The officer estimated the vehicle's speed to be approximately 50-60 in a 25 mph zone.
The vehicle approached the intersection of 500 West and 500 South. The vehicle matched the description of the vehicle that left the location.
The officer watched the vehicle leave the stop location and accelerate beyond the 30 mph posted speed limit. The vehicle's speed was approaching 40 mph on his same direction radar.
Officer McGaha stopped the vehicle at 700 West and 500 South. He approached the single male occupant who had the heater blower on high, and the officer could still smell the odor of alcohol emitting from the vehicle. The driver's eyes were bloodshot and glossy, and his speech was slurred.
The officer asked the driver out of the vehicle for his driver's license. The driver placed his hands in his pocket and didn't provide anything as requested.
The driver stated he was associated with the domestic violence call they had received, and he just wanted to go to jail.
Officer McGaha asked him to perform SFST's, and Kevin asked to just be handcuffed and taken to jail. The officer said there was a process and had Kevin perform the tests.
Kevin stated that he did have some to drink tonight, was very resistant to any conversation, and only wanted to go to jail.
The officer asked Kevin to continue with the tests, but he contested the stop and continued to be passively resistant. Kevin asked the officer what his decision was, and Officer McGaha advised him that based on his observations, he would be under arrest. Kevin said, "OK, let's go then."
Kevin began to empty his pockets on the bumper of his vehicle and was placed under arrest for DUI.
Kevin had been verbally up and down in his emotions, from wanting to be let go to a hotel to the point of being disorderly. He would not listen to the DUI admonitions when read to him.
His California driver's license verified that he was Kevin Lopez, which was in the wallet he placed on the bumper.
While Kevin was in the patrol vehicle, he said he wouldn't give a breath sample. They proceeded to the Ashley Regional Medical Center, where Officer McGaha applied for a search warrant, which was approved.
The search warrant was executed at 3:20 am, where the officer watched a nurse clean Kevin’s right hand with iodine, poke with the provided needle, and fill two vials of blood from Kevin.
Officer McGaha performed a driver's check, which returned that Kevin's local license was denied. Dispatch performed a criminal history check, which revealed one previous DUI within 10 years. This will enhance the DUI charge to a Misdemeanor A.
Kevin Jesus Lopez may post bail in the amount of $1,340.00 for the assault charge.
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