Fight in Veyo results in hospital trip, aggravated assault charges

A stock image shows a person getting arrested | Photo by BrianAJackson/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – A Washington City man was charged with aggravated assault for a fight last week that sent a man to the hospital with “substantial injuries.”

The man claiming to be the victim said he was assaulted by Joseph Slater, 30, and another man in Veyo last Wednesday, according to a probable cause statement. Slater, had been arrested in an unrelated incident Friday and was in the Purgatory Correctional Facility when interviewed by a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy about the assault case.

Joseph Slater, of Washington City, Utah, booking photo August 2018 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Deputy Daniel Montgomery asked Slater about the incident in which, “the victim stated Joseph and another adult make had assaulted him by striking him multiple times and kicking (him) while he was on the ground.”

According to the original incident report, “there were substantial injuries to the victim’s face and head and the victim was transported to (Dixie Regional Medical Center) to be treated,” Montgomery wrote in the probable cause statement.

During the follow-up interview, Slater told Montgomery he had been involved in the Veyo incident. He said the man who was sent to the hospital “was acting crazy and an argument broke out” and started hitting him, and he started to hit back in self-defense.

A man who was with Slater at the time tackled the alleged victim and began fighting with him as well. While the two were fighting on the ground, Slater told the deputy he kicked the alleged victim in the head.

“(With) the injuries sustained by (the victim) and the amount of force used by Joseph during the fight, Joseph is seen as the aggressor and is being charged with aggravated assault,” according to the statement.

Under Utah law, a third-degree felony can result in a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $5,000.

Slater was scheduled to appear in 5th District Court Monday, according to court records.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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16 Comments

  • comments August 14, 2018 at 4:49 pm

    LOL!

  • Chris August 14, 2018 at 5:09 pm

    nice looking, clean cut young lad.

  • NickDanger August 14, 2018 at 5:09 pm

    Looks like a mama’s boy.

    • mesaman August 14, 2018 at 8:18 pm

      Looks like a walking graffiti board. Only way he could fight would be to have a companion as bizarre as he.

  • Happy Commenter August 14, 2018 at 8:15 pm

    When he was born his mother said” Look dad, what a treasure!” Then dad replied ” yeah, let’s bury it!”

  • Kilroywashere August 14, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    Be nice folks, did you notice the red “X” tatoo on his third eye. Same iconic tatoo as Charlie Manson and his cult followers bore. The symbolic meaning is oblivion, not the mark of the beast, as many religious-minded people would gather. He would surely fit in at an underground party in the Hollywood Hills or as a lead singer of an old school Norwegian black metal band. The divided face line also is unique.

  • Jeannette August 14, 2018 at 9:28 pm

    I used to see people like him in a circus . . . he’ll fit well in prison and maybe get some free tatoos. Freedom to be your own person is a good thing, but to bring that much attention to oneself seems “not normal.” Maybe a personality disorder situation.

    • comments August 14, 2018 at 9:39 pm

      Maybe he was a clown in a circus. That’s the only reasonable explanation, right? That or severe mental, uhm, illness(retardation?).

  • Mild Winters August 14, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    Otherwise good looking man who for whatever reasons really inflicted major damage to his upper body appearance…
    Imagine how painful and extremely costly it would be to remove those tattoos!
    There are countless ways to draw positive attention to ourselves.
    That is a prime example of how to attract negative attention to himself…

    • comments August 15, 2018 at 9:30 am

      Not sure how possible it is to fully remove tattoos like that even. I’d say his best bet is a full head/neck transplant. The bonus is he’ll get a new brain when he gets his donor head.

  • Real Life August 14, 2018 at 10:57 pm

    If I roll upon a person in Veyo, of all places, that looked like him, I already have the CC classes going through my head while I have my weapon on hand.

  • DRT August 15, 2018 at 8:47 am

    Poor boy, he is not a bad kid, just “misunderstood.” :p

  • NotSoFast August 15, 2018 at 10:11 am

    What about the other guy? The (quote) victim. Just someone also just passing thru? Chowing down on a piece of famous Veyo pie and refusing to share with a freaky looking guy? A Veyo resident who was laughing at the freak maybe? I’m betting it will be a stalemate in court.

    • comments August 15, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      He’s a scary looking boy. In any other contexts but the circus or a clown show I would make an active effort to get away from him. You know someone who does that to his body is just naturally unhinged.

  • Rob83 August 15, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Maybe he was tired of being the pretty boy, he is handsome though. Hope he stays well and stays out of fights and that no more judgment will be passed on him. We’re all human and have our own issues, and really shouldn’t judge or mock others who like the art of tattoos.

    • comments August 15, 2018 at 8:19 pm

      Good point, Rob. I wouldn’t ever make fun of someone like this to their face. I would feel sorry for them more than anything. People like this just have serious issues. It just is too bad. What can ya do?

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