Man wanted for aggravated assault after he allegedly points gun at girlfriend’s father in West Valley City

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Police responded to a report of an aggravated assault Monday night and are now looking for a man who allegedly pulled a gun on his young girlfriend’s father.

Lt. Bill Merritt, with the West Valley City Police Department, said the incident began when the father and stepmom of a 17-year-old girl suspected she was on her way to meet the 23-year-old she’s been dating for awhile.

“The parents don’t like him,” Merritt said, and listed some of the reasons they don’t want their daughter associating with the man.

The parents followed the girl in their vehicle and saw her get into a car with the 23-year-old, Merritt said. That’s when her father approached the car and the younger man allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at him.

Merritt said the father grabbed his daughter and pulled her out of the car, and a moment later, the 23-year-old pushed the family’s vehicle with his own and “nearly ran over the girl’s stepmother.”

When officers interviewed the girl afterward, Merritt said, she admitted that the 23-year-old is frequently physically abusive.

Merritt summed up the charges that await the suspect.

“He’ll be facing three counts of aggravated assault, for pointing the gun at the father, nearly driving into the stepmom, and pushing their car with the victim’s younger sister in it — she could have been seriously injured.”