A Tooele man has been charged with felony kidnapping after he allegedly forced a woman into his car and assaulted her.
David Alan Eliason, 70, is charged with first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping and misdemeanor counts of violation of protective order and assault.
A Tooele City police officer was dispatched to the Tooele County Court Complex on reports of a domestic incident on Oct. 11, a probable cause statement said. Witnesses told police they saw Eliason grab a cell phone from the victim’s hand and push her to the ground, before grabbing her and pulling her into his car and driving away.
Later the same day, witnesses observed Eliason and the victim on the side of state Route 36 near milepost 63, the statement said. The witness saw Eliason attempt to pull the victim from the vehicle and intervened, telling Eliason to leave her alone. The witness then drove the victim back to the county court complex.
Tooele City police interviewed the victim, who said she was attacked at the court complex and forced into Eliason’s vehicle, according to the probable cause statement. The victim said Eliason attempted to strangle her and hit her in the mouth with his elbow after they drove away.
The officer observed a small cut on the victim’s bottom lip and on her left hand, as well as dried blood on her clothes.
The victim told police she had previously lived with Eliason but had a protective order against him, the statement said. The protective order was confirmed by dispatch.
Utah Highway Patrol and the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office made contact with Eliason in the same area of SR-36 that the witness intervened, the statement said. Eliason denied touching the victim and said she kicked and attacked him while in the car. Officers noticed superficial cuts on both of Eliason’s arms.
Eliason was arrested and transported to the Tooele County Detention Center. He is scheduled to appear in 3rd District Court before Judge Robert Adkins on Oct. 23 at 10:28 a.m.