CEDAR CITY, Utah (KUTV) — One man was taken into custody on Sunday after he allegedly struck an Iron County Sheriff’s Office deputy multiple times with golf clubs in an attempt to avoid arrest.
Michael James Torp, 39, was booked into the Iron County Jail on five counts of second-degree felony assault on a peace officer with a dangerous weapon and misdemeanor counts of interfering with a peace officer and drug possession.
The alleged incident with Torp started just after 8 p.m. on Saturday when a lieutenant with Utah Highway Patrol attempted to pull over a white Dodge Ram registered in Torp’s name. The truck fled from the attempted traffic stop, and it was later found that Torp had a warrant for his arrest.
The truck was spotted again on Sunday night at a gas station near Old Highway 91 and State Road 130 in Cedar City. A trooper with Utah Highway Patrol recognized Torp as the driver and called for backup to prevent the truck from fleeing the scene again.
According to court documents, Torp retrieved two golf clubs from the bed of the truck after being boxed in by local law enforcement and charged at an Iron County deputy.
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“He swung the clubs at [the deputy] in a manner that was intended to cause serious bodily harm or death to avoid arrest,” A Utah Highway Patrol trooper noted. “Torp struck [the deputy] three separate times with the golf club in the lower leg and ankle.”
Torp allegedly charged at other officers from the Utah Highway Patrol, Cedar City Police Department and the Iron County Sheriff’s Office as well. Multiple officers reportedly deployed tasers in an attempt to stop Torp, but all were unsuccessful.
According to court records, Torp only surrendered after a deputy with a K9 partner arrived on scene to assist in the arrest. Torp was then safely taken into custody and booked into the Iron County Jail.
During a search of his truck, responding officers reportedly found a marijuana pipe with a “testable amount” of marijuana in it.
Utah Highway Patrol said Torp’s alleged actions show he would “do anything to avoid arrest.”
“He also has shown with the assaults that he is willing to assault anyone, including law enforcement, to avoid apprehension on his charges and not be arrested,” UHP said in court records.
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