Fire restrictions, which limit or prohibit certain activities during dry summer months, have been lifted for unincorporated Tooele County. 

The fire restrictions went into effect on July 6 and prohibited activities such as setting open fires outside of improved campgrounds, picnic areas or home sites with access to running water; smoking near dry vegetation; using a device or vehicle with an internal combustion engine; or cutting, welding or grinding metal near dry vegetation. 

As a result of restrictions, it was also unlawful to set off fireworks during Pioneer Day celebrations in Stansbury Park, Lake Point and other unincorporated areas. 

While county residents will have more freedom in where they’re able to smoke, weld, or start a campfire, Tooele County Fire Warden Walton cautioned that vegetation in the county is still very dry. He said one hour of sunlight is still enough to dry out most small fuels. 

Last year, the same restrictions were lifted on Sept. 14, according to Walton. The open burn season usually begins on Sept. 15, which can put pressure to end fire restrictions earlier than conditions dictate, he said. 

Walton said he believed the fire restrictions probably could have remained in place longer in 2017. 

On federal Bureau of Land Management property, fire prevention orders to prohibit campfires outside developed campgrounds, smoking near dry vegetation, and cutting, grinding or welding near dry vegetation were rescinded effective today. 

The use of tracer or incendiary ammunition, explosives, fireworks, sky lanterns or chinese lanterns, and off road vehicles without a properly installed and maintained spark arrestor remain prohibited on BLM land. 

With the end of fire restrictions, the open burn season will begin in Tooele County. Open burns must be completed with a permit and cannot contain trash, rubbish, tires, or oil, either to start the fire or to be burned in it. 

Open burn permits can be requested through the state Division of Air Quality website at air.utah.gov through Oct. 30. After Oct. 30, burn permits are only issued with hand-written approval on a case-by-case basis.

The Grantsville City Council strengthened the city’s nuisance ordinance to curb blowing trash and evening noise from construction sites. 

A section specifically pertaining to construction debris was added to the city’s existing nuisance ordinance, which is under Title 12 in the city code. The ordinance, which was approved unanimously by the council, makes it unlawful to store any construction materials or waste in an open area, lot or on construction site, unless secured in a trash container. 

The ordinance also prohibits construction companies from using properties as permanent disposal for trash or garbage without proper zoning and in compliance with state law. 

The ordinance makes it unlawful for trash or other debris to spill or be blown onto other properties, as well. Any property owner or building permit holder who allows trash or debris to leave the construction site is guilty of a public nuisance and could be charged with penalties and charged for clean up. 

Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall requested a slight amendment to the proposed ordinance, which required a “mechanical hinged lid” on trash containers. The language was amended to allow for other types of covers, such as a secured tarp. 

“I think the main object of the ordinance was to prevent the construction debris from being blown all over through neighborhoods and things like that,” Marshall said. 

City Councilman Scott Stice asked how the construction debris section of the ordinance would be enforced. Grantsville City Police Chief Jacob Enslen said it would be treated like any other code enforcement issue, where it would be primarily complaint driven. 

The city council also added a public disturbance section, which makes it unlawful to disturb the peace or quiet of another through loud noises, or yelling in a manner that could incite someone else into violence. Under the ordinance, disturbing the peace is a Class C misdemeanor. 

The ordinance lists possible sources of disruption, such as music systems, loud arguing, or continuous operation of a motor vehicle, such as a motorcycle, in a residential zone. Specific activities such as construction work, the use of power tools or machinery, or sports and other entertainment are prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. 

“The issue I’ve had is, I’ve had the construction going on across the street from me at 11 o’clock at night,” Marshall said. “You’ve still got nail guns going off.” 

Permits to exceed the quiet hours in the ordinance can be requested for specific events, such as parades, public social events or special construction projects. The permits are for one event only and the mayor or his administrative assistant can “impose reasonable conditions” when the permit is issued. 

At the recommendation of Grantsville City Attorney Brett Coombs, an exemption to the ordinance was granted to the Grantsville High School marching band. The ordinance also exempts emergency vehicles or activities and sounds warning of emergencies. 

The public disturbance ordinance was also passed unanimously by the council. 

showe@tooeletranscript.com

With changing leaves and cooling temperatures, the signs of fall are obvious around Tooele County. 

With fall comes annual traditions, including the Utah Honey Harvest Festival at the Clark Historic Farm, which is noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Admission to the festival is free. 

More than 8,000 people attended the festival last year, which has become an annual event for some attendees, according to Penny Anderson, Friends of the Clark Historic Farm advertising coordinator.

In addition to various honey vendors and demonstrations, there will be a pumpkin growing contest, fiddle festival, petting zoo, food trucks and more family-friendly activities for attendees. 

The pumpkin contest will be on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with awards for the most orange, largest in diameter, tallest, cutest, and ugliest pumpkins, as well as a secret category. 

There will be a jam session for local musicians following the festival on Friday evening, with a location to be announced. The Fiddle Fest starts Saturday at 10 a.m. 

While the festival is going on, the Donner Reed Museum and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum will be open to the public, Anderson said. There will also be demonstrations at the Donner Reed Museum. 

In addition to honey vendors, there will be a number of craft vendors, face painting, games, pony rides and a petting zoo. There is a small fee for children’s games. 

Once festival goers have worked up an appetite, they can visit food vendors such as Simply Bliss BBQ, Mama Africa, and Begay’s Navajo Tacos. There will also be kettle corn and caramel apples for sale.

Democratic candidate Brenda Spearman and Republican Kendall Thomas faced off in a debate last Thursday at Clarke N. Johnsen Junior High School. 

The debate, sponsored by the Tooele County Republican and Democratic parties, covered topics ranging from the proposed change in county government to economic development and population growth. Transcript Bulletin Staff Writer Tim Gillie selected the questions and moderated the debate. 

The candidates for Tooele County Commission Seat B both called for a more prudent approach to development in the valley.

Thomas said the thousands of jobs connected to the in-land port in Salt Lake County will bring further growth to the county, as Salt Lake Valley runs out of room for more housing. He said the county needs to slow down growth and “get it right.” 

“We’re going to have one opportunity to develop Erda, Stansbury, Lake Point area,” Thomas said. “That’s where they’re coming, folks. Growth is coming but we need to decide what we want Tooele County to be, not the developer.”

Spearman said government and residents need to work together to figure out what the county will look like through the growth. She was critical of the current county commissioners and the way they’ve handled community complaints about development. 

“We have residents showing up in record numbers to commission meetings and saying what they would like to see, and our commissioners are ignoring it and they’re not doing what we as residents and voters want,” Spearman said. “So we really need someone in there that’s going to listen and pay attention.”

On rising taxes in the county, Thomas said he would prefer smaller tax increases each year to avoid massive tax increases, like the 88-percent increase approved by Tooele City this year. 

“If we want a good community, you’re going to have to pay,” he said. “But let’s be smart and frugal with our responsibilities and make sure every dollar has a job.” 

Spearman said continued annual tax increases, even small ones, would be a burden on unincorporated Tooele County residents who have seen jumps in the municipal services tax in recent years. 

“At some point we need to stop it for a few moments, re-evaluate, figure out what our needs are — not our wants, but our needs — and reallocate those resources properly and efficiently,” she said. 

Spearman and Thomas also clashed on their preferred approach to economic development in the county. 

Thomas said the communities within the county need to work collectively to bring businesses in. Spearman said some collaboration is useful but the county needs a full-time employee focused on economic development, with particular focus on unincorporated Tooele County. 

“We do not have anyone working full time, 100 percent of their time, 40 to 60 hours a week, on our economic development,” she said. “ … So the first thing I think we should do, and it will cost us a little bit of money, but I think we need it, is to have an official, full-time economic development person that would work for Tooele County to bring in corporations, jobs, a variety of industry.”

“I disagree with you on that Brenda because if Grantsville gets it, we win,” Thomas said. “If Tooele City gets it, we win. If the county gets it, we win. We will all win if we do this together.”

Prior to the debate, the Tooele County Auditor candidates introduced themselves but did not debate. The auditor candidates are Republican Alison McCoy and Democrat Sam Woodruff. 

The entire debate was broadcast live and is available to view on the Transcript Bulletin’s Facebook page.

Four candidates for County Commission seat A shared the stage for a debate Thursday night at Clarke N. Johnsen Junior High School. 

The debate, sponsored by the Tooele County Republican and Democratic parties, covered topics ranging from animals on private property to drug addiction and development. Transcript Bulletin Staff Writer Tim Gillie selected the questions and moderated the debate. 

The candidates for County Commission Seat A are Jonathan Garrard, Constitution Party; Brendan Phillips, Green Party; Justin Bake, Libertarian Party; and Tom Tripp, Republican Party. 

When asked about balancing the budget and tax revenue, Bake cited a business owner who said they had more problems dealing with the county than the state or federal government. 

“I think the main problem in the county is it is very difficult to start a business,” Bake said. “We keep looking outward for all of these opportunities when we really should be looking inward for the innovators in the county.”

Garrard compared the county’s development challenges with housing density to growing crops. 

“If you’re planting a field of corn, you don’t want to plant that corn every inch or you’re not going to get a good crop growing out there,” he said. “There’s specific space and requirements that make it acceptable for that growth to thrive in that area.” 

During the development discussion, Tripp, a Grantsville City councilman, said he would support having local planning and zoning for communities in the county that are not incorporated. 

“We have a very large unincorporated population in this county for the size it is,” he said. “I think we would do better to have more cities and give the local residents more control over what’s happening in their own neighborhood. I think there’s ways to do that.”

The debate also touched on issues related to animals, in which all four candidates expressed support for animal ownership rights and a hands-off approach by local government. 

“When a lot of these rezones were approved, it was done knowing that these animals were there and knowing that these issues would arise,” Phillips said. “These shouldn’t really be issues that our government has to deal with. These should be issues that neighbors deal with.” 

The debate touched on drug addiction and mental health issues, and the county government’s role in providing assistance. 

Tripp said the majority of crimes committed in the county are related to drug abuse and addiction, including intoxication and property crime, like vehicle burglaries.

“I think we need to assist addicted situations to solve those,” he said. “We also need to make sure we protect our public.” 

“So what is government’s role?” Garrard said. “It is to give information and resources. It’s up to us community members to actually implement that.”

On the topic of changing the form of government to a five-member county council with a manager, which is Proposition 6 on the ballot this November, Phillips said he supports it. 

“Right now I think we have too much of our legislative and executive power centralized in the hands of a few individuals,” he said. “I would like to see that power spread out among a larger base of individuals, at least five.”

Bake also supported the change of government, which he said could bring more representation to unincorporated Tooele County. 

“The unincorporated areas of Tooele County often times … take a backseat to the will of the incorporated areas where there’s a lot more political influence,” he said. “And I think that needs to change. And I think that’s the main thing that the county is looking forward to in a change of government.”

The entire debate was broadcast live and is available to view on the Transcript Bulletin Facebook page.

The suspect involved in an officer-involved shooting early Wednesday morning has been identified by law enforcement. 

Christopher Michael Ono, 27, of Tooele, was named as the suspect in a joint press release from the Tooele City Police Department and Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. 

Tooele City police responded to a residence on 860 North looking for Ono, who is the suspect in a domestic assault investigation, the release said. 

Two officers went to the front of the residence, while a third took position where he could observe the rear door, according to the release. When officers tried to summon the occupants of the home to the front door, Ono exited the back door. 

As Ono left the rear of the home, he pointed a pistol in the direction of the officer positioned there, the release said. The officer fired at Ono several times, who surrendered to police. Neither the officer nor Ono were injured during the confrontation.

The investigation into the officer-involved shooting was turned over to the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, per Tooele City Police Department protocol, the release said. A loaded weapon was recovered by investigators with the sheriff’s department near the rear door where Ono surrendered. 

The officer who discharged his weapon is on paid administrative leave, according to Tooele County Sheriff Lt. Travis Scharmann. 

Ono is a parolee and is being held in the Tooele County Detention Center on possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, aggravated assault, assault and theft.  

A Bountiful man pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge in 3rd District Court on Tuesday, after he allegedly beat up a convenience store clerk in August.

Suliasi Niulala Vakalahi, 24, pleaded guilty to an amended count of third-degree felony aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury. As part of the plea deal with prosecutors, charges of first-degree felony aggravated robbery and misdemeanor theft were dismissed with prejudice.

Vakalahi’s bail was also reduced to $10,000 during his change of plea hearing on Tuesday before 3rd District Court Judge Matthew Bates. He is scheduled to appear for sentencing before Bates on Dec. 11 at 1:30 p.m. 

The co-defendant in the case, Helamen Tuakalau Makalio, 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery on Sept. 11. Charges of second-degree felony aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury and misdemeanor theft against Makalio were dismissed with prejudice. 

Makalio is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 30 at 9 a.m. before Bates. 

On Aug. 15, Tooele City police and Tooele County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Maverik convenience store in Tooele on reports of a robbery, a probable cause statement said. Upon arrival, police administered aid to a store clerk who had been severely beaten. 

Police were told four individuals entered the store, took beer and then left without paying for it, the statement said. The clerk had gone outside to get the suspect’s license plate number and was punched several times by two individuals, later identified as Vakalahi and Makalio, breaking his nose and knocking out several of his teeth. 

A witness followed the suspects’ vehicle to a Tooele City residence, where they observed part of the suspect group exit the vehicle and the remainder leaving, the probable cause statement said. A search warrant for the home was executed and Makalio and Vakalahi were identified by those residing in the home.

The employees of the Tooele County Dispatch Center were honored earlier this month at an award banquet for the Utah Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials. 

Tooele County dispatchers won the Unit Citation Award, Incident of the Year and Technicians of the Year. 

The Unit Citation Award was presented to Sgt. Cherell Cottino and dispatchers Jennifer Clough, Veneta Arvanitas and Gabrielle Wade, in collaboration with the Grantsville City and Tooele City police departments. 

The recipients were nominated for their work on an attempted kidnapping case, in which the biological father of three children tried to take his children from their adoptive parents in Grantsville. Dispatchers worked with Tooele City and Grantsville City police officers to track down and arrest the suspect, who fled in a stolen vehicle to Tooele City limits after his unsuccessful kidnapping attempt. 

For the Incident of the Year Award, Sgt. Heather Prescott and dispatchers Makayla Russell, Heather Maxfield, William Loakes, Valerie Shumway and Arvanitas were the recipients for their work on the Middle Canyon Fire in July. 

Due to the size and scope of the fire, as well as the volume of radio traffic and citizen phone calls, Arvanitas, Loakes and Shumway were called into the dispatch center to assist. The dispatchers worked long hours through the initial evening, and continued to field citizen calls with visible smoke and fire for an additional week. 

The Technician of the Year Award was presented to Lt. Regina Nelson, Sgt. Shannon Gowans, Prescott and dispatchers Janel Moulton, Lore Maloney, Heather Maxfield and Arvanitas. The award also recognized information technology professionals from Tooele County, Tooele County Emergency Management Staff, technicians from CenturyLink and Motorola, Voice Products support, All-Tech Electric & Telecomms and Utah Valley Special Service District dispatchers. 

Due to technical difficulties, including three outages, and the necessary replacement critical equipment at the dispatch center, the 911 center was moved to its mobile command center in April. While the equipment was replaced, Utah Valley’s dispatch center routed emergency and non-emergency calls to Tooele County dispatchers in the mobile command center. 

Nelson said Tooele County is a large law enforcement area that presents unique challenges. She applauded the work of dispatchers and said she was really proud of the Tooele County Dispatch staff. 

“We have a good group of people here and we’re thrilled when they have the opportunity to be recognized for the great work they do,” Nelson said.

The suspect involved in an officer-involved shooting early Wednesday morning has been identified by law enforcement. 

Christopher Michael Ono, 27, of Tooele, was named as the suspect in a joint press release from the Tooele City Police Department and Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. 

Tooele City police responded to a residence on 860 North, Tooele, looking for Ono, who is the suspect in a domestic assault investigation, the release said. 

Two officers went to the front of the residence, while a third took position where he could observe the rear door, according to the release. When officers tried to summon the occupants of the home to the front door, Ono exited the back door. 

As Ono left the rear of the home, he pointed a pistol in the direction of the officer positioned there, the release said. The officer fired at Ono several times, who surrendered to police. Neither the officer nor Ono were injured during the confrontation.

The investigation into the officer-involved shooting was turned over to the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, per Tooele City Police Department protocol, the release said. A loaded weapon was recovered by investigators with the sheriff’s office near the rear door where Ono surrendered. 

The officer who discharged his weapon is on paid administrative leave, according to Tooele County Sheriff Lt. Travis Scharmann. 

Ono is a parolee and was booked into the Tooele County Detention Center on possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, aggravated assault, assault and theft.

The Stansbury Service Agency approved an intent to raise property taxes a maximum of 23 percent during its meeting Wednesday night. 

The maximum increase would generate an additional $223,578.15 in revenue, to be used for parks, greenbelt and lake maintenance. For residents with a $250,000 home, the maximum increase would be a total of $64.10, split evenly between the Recreation Service and Greenbelt Service taxes. 

The service agency board will need to hold two public hearings prior to approving any tax increase. During Wednesday’s meeting, the board capped the possible property tax increase at 23 percent, but can approve any amount at or below that percentage. 

In 2018, the service agency budgeted $930,272 in property tax revenue toward its $1.1 million budget. The service agency completes its budget on the calendar year cycle, with the final approval in December. The tax increase would affect the budget, and taxpayers, in 2019. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Trent Ladle recommended the board use smaller tax increases, to avoid a situation like Tooele City, which approved an 88-percent property tax increase this year. 

Board chairman Neil Smart said the service agency hasn’t raised taxes in a decade and the service agency could have considered a higher tax increase cap, but didn’t think it was prudent. 

Trustee Mike Johnson said it is procedurally cumbersome to increase taxes and would personally prefer to take the increase at once. 

“I think the public doesn’t realize that our budget is really only about $1 million,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot of stuff to take care of for that.”

“Just being fiscally responsible is all I think myself and the citizens ask,” Ladle said. 

Resident Ward Johnson echoed Ladle’s point and said taxpayers have faced a number of tax increases this year on the state and local level. 

“I just ask that you be prudent, too,” Johnson said. “It sounds like you are, because I’ve seen a lot of things you guys are starting to do this year and I think that’s good.”

Smart said the service agency hasn’t run over budget during his time on the board, though he described it as a “shoestring budget.”

“There is a really big possibility that we have to pick up another responsibility of … taking back the golf course and managing that,” he said. “To us, that’s one of the gems in the community and if the golf course is nice, then that does nothing but help every one of our home’s values go up.” 

The service agency owns the golf course but leased it to a private operator. In 2018, the service agency set aside $95,000 for golf course improvements in its capital improvements fund budget. 

Smart also said the service agency maintains sports fields and other amenities that are used by people living outside its boundaries, especially through youth sports. The service agency does not have the authority to expand its own boundaries to capture more tax revenue, Johnson said. 

The board voted 4-0 to set the tax increase cap at 23 percent, on a motion by Johnson, seconded by trustee Cassandra Arnell. Trustees Brenda Spearman and Glenn Oscarson were absent.

A driver who became trapped in his car following a multiple-car accident on Main Street in Tooele Monday afternoon is in stable condition, according to the Tooele City Police Department. 

The accident occurred shortly after 2 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of Main Street and 600 North, according to Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. At least three vehicles were involved in the accident and police were looking for a possible fourth vehicle that may have left the scene. 

All of the vehicles in the accident were heading southbound on Main Street when the accident occurred, Hansen said. The accident involved a black Chevy Impala hitting the rear of a white Kia Soul, and the Soul hitting the rear of a white pickup truck. 

The exact circumstances of the accident are still under investigation but the Impala, which was the third car in the line, ended up tipped onto the driver side, according to Hansen. The driver was pinned inside the car and it took emergency responders several minutes to free the man. 

By about 2:20 p.m., the driver of the Impala was extricated from the vehicle and placed into an ambulance to be transported to Mountain West Medical Center. Hansen said the driver was in stable condition. 

While crews worked to free the driver, southbound traffic was rerouted onto 700 North and the left turn lane at the Main Street and 600 North intersection heading northbound was closed. The roadway was reopened to traffic around 2:45 p.m., according to Hansen. Tooele City police, Utah Highway Patrol, Tooele City Fire Department and Mountain West Ambulance responded to the crash. 

Three Tooele residents are facing criminal charges after they allegedly attempted to burglarize a Kennecott facility earlier this month. 

Joseph Arnold Bowers, 39, Jenolichii Penitoe Bins, 49, and Sherrie Goff, 52, are each charged with third-degree felony burglary and third-degree felony theft. Goff and Bowers are also charged with second-degree felony theft by receiving stolen property.

Tooele County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Smelter Road on reports of trespassing on Kennecott property late on Oct. 5, according to a probable cause statement. Kennecott security observed an SUV on the property parked behind a warehouse with the headlights off. 

Deputies first made contact with Bins, who was at the gate leading to the property, the statement said. There was a warrant out for his arrest and Bins was taken into custody. 

Deputies continued onto the property and found an SUV parked on the side of the road, with Goff alongside it, according to the statement. The horn alarm of the SUV was going off just as deputies made contact. 

Goff said she was alone and told deputies she set the alarm off on accident, the statement said. In the back of the SUV, two large batteries and core samples from the Kennecott facility were clearly visible. 

During a search of the vehicle, a loaded handgun was found in a backpack on the backseat, according to the probable cause statement. The handgun was listed as stolen out of Elko County, Nevada, and the backpack also contained stolen wires from the warehouse, also in plain sight. 

While searching the vehicle, Bowers was discovered hiding in the bushes near the vehicle with the car keys, the statement said. He was wearing camouflage clothing. 

Kennecott security confirmed the stolen items were Kennecott property and took custody of the items. Bowers and Goff were arrested on burglary and theft charges. 

After his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday, Bowers is scheduled to return for a scheduling conference on Oct. 30 at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. Bins’s bail was set at $5,000 and is scheduled to return to court for a scheduling conference on Oct. 23 at 9 a.m. before Bates.

During her initial appearance in 3rd District Court, Goff was assigned $10,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court for a scheduling conference on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Tooele Army Depot will resume the demilitarization of conventional munitions at the former Deseret Chemical Depot in Rush Valley this week, according to a release from the depot. 

The State of Utah approved the open detonation permit on Oct. 9, which will allow detonations from April through October, the release said. 

In the past, the TEAD-South Area has completed open detonations of old and outdated munitions, according to TEAD public affairs officer Lally Laksbergs. 

“This is not a new occurrence in the south area,” she said. 

It’s taken about five years for the depot to complete the state’s permit process and begin open detonation again, according to Laksbergs. The detonations will occur in the same area of TEAD-South in which they previously occurred. 

The demilitarization of munitions, which also occurs at TEAD’s main area, frees up space for a new stock up of conventional munitions, Laksbergs said. 

The permit for open detonation at TEAD-South Area lapsed while the former chemical depot completed a decades-long clean-up of chemical munitions. Beginning in the 1980s, TEAD-South Area destroyed and disposed of the chemical munitions stored on site, which amounted to 44 percent of the nation’s chemical munitions stockpile, according to the state Department of Environmental Quality.

The demilitarization effort for stored munitions at TEAD South was completed in 2014. There were still ongoing mitigation efforts involving the clean up of buried waste in 2015. 

There have been a number of high-profile cases of arson in Tooele County over the past five years. All but one of those cases of arson remains unsolved. 

On July 16, 2014, an arson in Stockton threatened homes, caused evacuations and damaged the city’s water tank. Timothy West, a former volunteer firefighter, was arrested and sentenced to prison in February 2015 after he was spotted riding away from the fire start on an all-terrain vehicle and fire-starting chemicals were detected on his hands. 

On July 19, 2016, a fire started in an unmowed field in Tooele City destroyed 11 homes and damaged 17 more, causing more than $1.3 million in damage and recovery costs. The fire was deemed an arson but no arrests have been made in connection with the investigation. 

On March 19, fire completely destroyed the Big Shot Ranch on Higley Road, north of Grantsville City. Surveillance camera footage provided evidence the fire was intentionally set, but no arrests have been made.  

On Labor Day, a fire near Exit 99 on Interstate 80 burned about 5 acres. The fire was connected to five additional suspected arsons along the I-80 corridor on the same day as far as Rock Springs, Wyoming, and remain unsolved. 

Tooele County Sheriff Chief Deputy Brian White said most cases of arson occur late at night when no one is around and much of the evidence is destroyed in the fire. 

“Arson are pretty difficult beside witnesses and surveillance,” White said. 

The sheriff’s office is handling the Big Shot Ranch arson, which is still an active, open investigation. White said the sheriff’s office interviewed more than a dozen people in connection with the case. 

While the department has no active arson investigations, Grantsville City Police Sgt. Lydon Allred said there have been three cases in the past four years.

In one instance, a junkyard caught on fire and someone was seen leaving the scene, but could not be identified. An apartment fire in 2017 killed one person in a suspected suicide, as an accelerant was used. 

In April 2015, a fire destroyed the Hickory Grill on Main Street in Grantsville, prompting a closure on Main Street. Allred said the fire was a suspected arson but it was never proven. 

In most cases, police departments turn over the investigations to the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to May. The Exit 99 fire on Labor Day has been turned over to state investigators, White said. 

When the fire department arrives at a fire, if it looks like a possible crime scene, it is turned over to local law enforcement, Allred said. Local police then work the case together with the state fire marshal’s office. Officers then take the findings from the fire marshal’s investigation and make an arrest or file charges, he said. 

Many fires with an undetermined cause or suspicious circumstances can fall under the umbrella of “suspected arson,” according to Tooele City Police Sgt. James May. He said there were nine suspected arsons in 2017 and five so far this year. 

May said suspected arsons can range from a shed fire of unknown origin to fires from this summer near the Tooele Army Depot boundary. He said the FBI is involved in the investigation into the fires near the depot since they occurred partially on federal land. 

Tooele County Fire Warden Daniel Walton said the high number of suspected arson cases in and around Tooele City is a concern, however. He said the majority of the suspected arsons are suppressed quickly and stay out of the spotlight, but is worried a situation similar to the July 2016 fire in Tooele City could happen again. 

The suspected arsons occur in grass fields with two or three starts, Walton said. With little to no physical evidence, investigators have been focusing on eyewitness statements, local video surveillance and patterns. 

“We have been compiling this information and are confident we will eventually find the person or people responsible and hold them accountable,” Walton said, in a text message. 

Both White and Walton said it’s common for arsonists to remain in the area or return to the scene of an arson to see the damage caused by the fire. Sometimes an arsonist will go as far as starting a fire then attempt to save lives or property for recognition, Walton said. 

Timothy West, the arsonist in the July 2014 Stockton fire, was a former volunteer firefighter with a history of arson-related crimes. 

In March 2010, he was arrested for starting a dumpster fire behind the Tooele County Health Department. He later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor arson charges in May 2010 and was placed on two years probation, according to court records.

In May 2011, West was charged with two counts of arson of the property of another for a fire he started while working as a security guard at Rio Tinto that spread to a nearby field. West pleaded guilty to one count of arson and the other was dismissed. He was sentenced to a suspended term of six months and a year of probation.

West was sentenced to up to five years in the Utah State Prison in 2015 after he was convicted of third-degree felony arson and third-degree felony causing a catastrophe.   

Anyone with information connected to any arson case can contact Tooele County Dispatch at 435-882-5600. 

A Provo man will return to court next week on a felony theft charge after he was found walking on state Route 36 following a crash in a stolen car. 

Shawn B. Jones, 28, is charged with second-degree felony theft by receiving stolen property and misdemeanor driving with any measurable controlled substance in the body.

A Utah Highway Patrol trooper found Jones walking northbound on SR-36 near milepost 52 around 6:20 a.m. on Sept. 29, according to a probable cause statement. The trooper stopped to check Jones’s welfare and noticed he had an open cut and swelling near his left eye. 

Jones told the trooper a tree caused his injuries and said he was heading to Provo, despite walking northbound, the statement said. He also told the trooper he had a couple active warrants for his arrest and dispatch confirmed six active warrants for drug-related charges. 

A second trooper and a Tooele County Sheriff’s deputy also arrived on scene, with the law enforcement officers noticing signs of impairment, according to the statement. Jones was arrested on the warrants and a search of person turned up items, including a vehicle key fob and ignition key. He told police the key belonged to his sister’s vehicle and they could call to verify.

While at the Tooele County Detention Center, law enforcement learned another sheriff’s deputy had given Jones a ride from the SR-36 and state Route 73 junction to Stockton prior to his arrest, the statement said. 

Later the same morning, dispatchers notified the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office of an abandoned vehicle stuck in a ditch near milepost 7 on SR-73, the probable cause statement said. The sheriff’s deputy who located the car reported it was a Ford Thunderbird that was reported stolen from Peterson Auto in Draper. 

While discussing the abandoned car, one of the arresting deputies remembered the key and fob found in Jones’s possession were from a Ford, the statement said. Jones’s first known location was at the intersection of SR-36 and SR-73, only 7 miles from where the car was abandoned. 

The key and fob were tested on the abandoned Thunderbird at approximately 10:30 a.m. The key was tested and confirmed to belong to the car, the statement said. Deputies attempted to interview Jones but he refused to speak and refused consent for a blood draw. 

During his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Oct. 10, Jones was assigned a public defender and his bail was set at $10,000. He is scheduled to return to court for a scheduling conference on Oct. 23 at 9 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. 

The Tooele man who was the suspect in a domestic violence situation and was shot at by a Tooele City Police officer has been charged in 3rd District Court. 

Christopher Michael Ono, 27, is charged with second-degree felony aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury. 

Tooele City police responded to Mountain West Medical Center on Oct. 9 to speak with the victim of a domestic assault, according to a probable cause statement. The victim said Ono had assaulted her inside her vehicle near his home on 860 North. 

The victim told police that Ono punched her in the face through the window of her vehicle, the statement said. The officer observed the victim had “substantial injuries” including a bleeding nose and swollen eye socket. 

When police responded to Ono’s home, two officers went to the front door and a third went to the rear of the residence, according to a joint press release from Tooele City police and the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. When officers tried to summon Ono to the front of the home, he fled out the back door. 

While fleeing the home, Ono pointed a pistol in the direction of the officer by the rear door, the release said. The officer fired several times at Ono, prompting him to surrender. Neither Ono nor the officer was injured in the incident. 

An investigation into the officer involved shooting was turned over to the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. A loaded firearm was discovered by the back door where Ono surrendered, according to the release.  

Ono is scheduled to make his initial appearance in 3rd District Court before Judge Matthew Bates on Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m.

A split Grantsville City Council approved a concept plan and planned unit development for a housing project that would create 74 multi-housing development units and five single-family lots at 619 West Clark Street. 

The city council and developer Reid Dickson’s attorney, Bruce Baird, tangled over issues with the proposed development, dubbed Sun Sage Meadows, which originated in 2009. The development was inactive for nearly 8 years following the Great Recession. 

Baird represented Tooele Associates in its 2002 lawsuit against Tooele City, which netted the developers $20.7 million. 

Baird began his presentation to the council by describing the history of the development, beginning with the city council’s approval of the general plan for a similar development, which included a swimming pool at a Sept. 2, 2009 meeting brought forward by developer Reeve and Associates. 

Meeting minutes from a Dec. 2, 2009 city council meeting showed a public hearing on a rezone for the 9.4-acre development from medium-density residential to high-density residential received one public comment against it. 

The rezone was brought before the city council at a Dec. 16, 2009 meeting, where it was approved unanimously on a motion by current Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall, then a city councilman, and seconded by City Councilman Tom Tripp. 

During a Dec. 16, 2009 meeting, Marshall asked about the number of phases on the project, stated he would like to see fencing on the perimeter of the project on Clark Street and state Route 138, and improvements on the frontage with Main Street. 

At Wednesday’s meeting, Tripp said there was substantial discussion on the potential rezone in 2009, including a meeting at his home, as residents were angry about the rezone. Baird countered the city’s meeting minutes don’t reflect any public comments beside the one in opposition at the Dec. 2, 2009 meeting and there were no stipulations in the motion to rezone. 

State law on record retention only requires audio recordings of a public meeting be kept for three years after approval of the meeting minutes.

The latest version of the concept plan submitted to the council for Wednesday’s meeting included the wider roadways requested by the city, which have a 13-foot travel lane in both directions. The concept plan also included a driveway of at least 20 feet to accommodate larger vehicles.

City Councilman Neil Critchlow expressed concerns about the driveway length for larger trucks and the depth of the setback from the roadway to the townhomes. Grantsville City code requires a 25-foot front yard setback and a 20-foot rear yard setback in the high density residential zone. 

None of the townhomes in the project have a 25-foot front setback, based on the concept plan submitted to the city council.      

Baird said the project being a PUD allowed the city to reduce its requirements on setbacks and other code requirements. If the developer was required to meet the setback requirements, they would have to remove as many as 20 units, he said. 

“How are we going to help you get your subdivision, your development, done?” Critchlow said. “We want you to comply with these things. What are we going to do to help you get through this?” 

“You’re going to reduce those standards as you have the authority to do,” Baird said. “And if you don’t, then we’ll have litigation.” 

“You’re threatening to sue us over not following our rules?” Critchlow said.

“Over 20 units? Yes, sir,” Baird said.

City Councilwoman Jewel Allen also proposed removing a row of townhome units to increase the space in the development, a proposition she had previously made at the Sept. 5 city council meeting. Baird said that wouldn’t happen.

“If the choice is to take out a row of lots to get your approval or to litigate, then we’ll litigate and you will lose,” Baird said. 

Grantsville City Attorney Brett Coombs said he disagreed and the city could win a potential lawsuit over required changes to the concept plan. 

Following a discussion about the lawfulness of a vehicle obstructing a sidewalk, Tripp said the documentation Baird gathered to give history on the development was preparation for litigation. 

“It isn’t, sir,” Baird said. “It was an attempt to answer your historical questions.”

“Well, we have different interpretations on that,” Tripp said. “… My interpretation is that it’s a shot over the bow that you’re here and you’re serious. You confirmed that to us right here, right now.”

Baird said, “We are serious but it wasn’t a shot over the bow. It was an attempt to answer your questions and show you how we got here.”

The project’s developer, Reid Dickson, said he believed the project met the city’s requirements for a planned unit development, citing examples such as a small park and green space. 

“It seems like we’re ignoring the concept of what a PUD is,” Dickson said. 

Marshall asked if the development would have a homeowners’ association. Baird said there would be an HOA for the project and to maintain the park space. 

Prior to voting, City Councilwoman Krista Sparks expressed regret the property had been rezoned 9 years ago. 

“It’s obvious none of us are loving the idea of this concept and it’s unfortunate that this area was rezoned when it was rezoned,” Sparks said. “That was before my time here. I would have never voted in favor of rezoning this area.” 

Tripp told Dickson and Baird that he didn’t believe residents thought promises had been kept after a weed violation on the property. 

City Councilman Scott Stice made a motion to approve the concept plan for the Sun Sage Meadows development, but said the interaction with the developers was probably the worst he’d experienced in nearly six years on the city council. 

“I didn’t make this motion to not get sued,” Stice said. “That’s not why I did it. I did it because this seems to have been messed up from the very beginning. We never should have changed the zone.”

Stice’s motion was seconded by Tripp and passed by a 3-2 margin, with Allen and Critchlow against. 

A subsequent vote to approve the planned unit development also passed 3-2, with the same votes, on a motion from Stice, seconded by Sparks. 

“I think that this whole process has been very disappointing to see,” Allen said. “And disturbing, I think, that even though it will most likely pass, it comes at a price.” 

The Grantsville City Council unanimously approved a contract to complete the replacement of the city’s failing North Well during its meeting Wednesday night. 

The council selected the low bid, submitted by Hydro Resources, of Fort Lupton, Colorado. Hydro Resources submitted a total bid of $549,462, including $12,569 for a zone test of water quality. The city also received a bid from Grimshaw Drilling, of Cedar City, which totaled $596,574. 

Hydro Resources was also selected as the contractor to complete an exploratory well near the North Well site. The city council approved a $51,392 change order on the $120,765 project in June, as the existing borehole of the test well was unstable. 

Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said Hydro Resources was using a rotary drill on the exploratory well but the soils didn’t hold together. A cable rig was brought in to aid in completion of the test well. 

“The issue that we had with the exploratory well was nothing that they did wrong,” Marshall said. “They did everything to try and make it go. You had some ground that would collapse into the hole.”

Aqua Engineering, which provides the city’s engineering services, estimated the project would cost about $657,140. 

Marshall said Hydro Resources are finishing a project in Bountiful first, then will come to Grantsville to complete the well.

The council’s affirmative vote was made on a motion by Councilman Tom Tripp, who addressed misinformation about the activity near the city’s North Well site. 

“There’s been a lot of rumors floating around that this well is being drilled for a new development out in that part of town,” Tripp said. “I just got to clarify this is a well casing that’s failing or failed and needs to be replaced.”

Marshall said the North Well, which was originally drilled in the 1950s, has big holes in its casing that prompted the need for replacement. 

The existing North Well was designed to divert approximately 700 gallons per minute, but with a declining static water level and the deteriorating well casing, the actual flow is about 285 gallons per minute, according to Aqua Engineering.

A fire on Friday afternoon in Tooele City caused the death of two dogs and seriously damaged the kitchen of a home, according to Tooele City Fire Chief Rick Harrison. 

Tooele City Fire Department firefighters were able to quickly jump on the fire, which was reported at 2:11 p.m., and it was extinguished within about 10 minutes of crews arriving, Harrison said. North Tooele Fire District also responded to the fire, which occurred at a home near the intersection of 1420 N. 380 East. 

The fire began in the kitchen of the home, but the exact cause and point of ignition are under investigation, Harrison said, though an electrical fire is possible. There was extensive damage from smoke and fire inside the home, he said. 

There were three dogs inside the home and two died as a result of the fire, Harrison said. The four adults and one child living in the residence were not home at the time. 

Due to the damage to the home, the Red Cross was called in to provide assistance to the family displaced by the fire, according to Harrison. The damage to the home is estimated to be approximately $13,000.

The jury trial for a New York man charged with a felony after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on an Amtrak train in Tooele County has been pushed back. 

Elijah S. Pineiro-Zucker, 19, of Woodstock, is charged with first-degree felony object rape.

During an Oct. 9 pretrial conference in 3rd District Court, a second preliminary hearing was set for Nov. 20 before Judge John Mack Dow, as the victim’s testimony has not been recorded yet, according to court records. The final pretrial conference is now scheduled for Jan. 8 at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. 

The jury trial, originally slated to begin on Oct. 31, will instead start on Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. and run for three days.

At the Oct. 9 pretrial conference, Pineiro-Zucker’s bail was reduced to $25,000 bondable and court records indicate he bailed out on Oct. 11. His bail was originally set at $100,000.

Utah Highway Patrol was dispatched to the Salt Lake City Amtrak station on reports of a sexual assault at around 3:30 a.m. on May 18, according to a probable cause statement. The train conductor told troopers a male passenger, later identified as Pineiro-Zucker, had assaulted a woman on the train. 

It was reported the assault occurred as the train was traveling about 10 miles east of the Nevada state line, according to the statement. 

The victim was taken to the hospital and then was interviewed by investigators in the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, the statement said. During the interview, detectives learned the victim was engaged in a conversation with another passenger near a bathroom on the train and Pineiro-Zucker grabbed her by the waist, trying to get her to go into the bathroom with him. 

The victim said she refused and went to an upper deck on the train and sat down, according to the probable cause statement. Pineiro-Zucker sat next to the victim and started to grab her and rub her thigh, and she pushed him away, the victim said. 

The victim said Pineiro-Zucker was able to get his hands under her pants and she began to cry, the statement said. Another passenger witnessed the incident and reported it to a train conductor, who came to her aid.