Bruno, the Park City Police Department K-9 who was transported to an emergency veterinary hospital on Tuesday after he jumped from a freeway overpass during an investigation, is expected to survive, according to an update from the department on Thursday.

The dog sustained two broken legs and a fractured jaw, but a statement from the Police Department said Bruno is “in good spirits” and underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair his broken legs.

“Bruno’s surgery went well, and he is officially on the mend,” the statement said. “He was released from the veterinary hospital (Thursday) afternoon and is now home with his family. After everything Bruno has been through over the past few days, we are grateful he can begin the next part of his recovery at home, surrounded by the people who know and love him best.”

The Police Department thanked the community for “the incredible amount of love and support shown to Bruno and his handler over the past few days.”

“We are also grateful to the law enforcement agencies and first responders who reached out, checked in and offered their support,” the statement said. “Special thanks go to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Highway Patrol, Park City Fire District, South Salt Lake Police, Intermountain Life Flight and the MedVet Animal Hospital for their response, care and continued support of our team.”

Bruno jumped from the freeway overpass connecting Interstate 80 and U.S. 40 on Tuesday during an investigation into a “suspicious item.” The investigation closed portions of both major roads and led to a lengthy commute for those traveling in the Snyderville Basin.

Sgt. Skyler Talbot with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said the item appeared to be an e-bike battery.

The post Park City Police dog injured during I-80 investigation returns home after surgery appeared first on Park Record.

Matthew Maddison, a Summit County resident and former USA Climbing coach, will spend up to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing sexually explicit videos involving children.

Last week, Third District Judge Richard Mrazik determined Maddison should serve prison time for the second-degree felony charge. Maddison will receive credit for the 137 days he has spent in the Summit County Jail, but he is required to spend at least one year in prison before petitioning for parole.

Multiple people submitted letters to the court, although only one expressed support of Maddison in an attempt to reduce the severity of his sentence. The letter of support praised Maddison’s involvement as a father and said he has “fully committed to taking responsibility and making positive changes.” The other letters were sealed and unavailable to the public.

His wife also testified during the sentencing hearing.

Prosecutors in May charged Maddison, 37, with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony, and three counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, a first-degree felony. However, 12 of the 13 charges were dismissed in July after Maddison pleaded guilty to one second-degree felony count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Detectives had been investigating Maddison for weeks at the time of his arrest in April, according to court documents.

A probable cause statement said a social media company filed a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in March, claiming an account on the website had uploaded and distributed sexually explicit materials involving children. The information was forwarded to the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The task force identified Maddison as the account’s owner because of its connection to his USA Climbing email address, court records said. However, USA Climbing, after the arrest, said Maddison’s charges “appear to be unrelated to his coaching responsibilities.”

Law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Maddison’s Summit County home, and Maddison reportedly admitted to owning the account, its associated email address and the explicit materials.

He also allegedly told law enforcement that he knew the files were illegal to possess.

Maddison was held without bail in the Summit County Jail because prosecutors described him as a “flight risk.” They said Maddison is a citizen of the United Kingdom and didn’t have solid ties to Utah. They also claimed he presented “a danger” to the Summit County community due to the nature of his charges.

“He works with youths and has unfettered access to them as a coach and in a position of authority,” the indictment said. “Additionally, the defendant has a young child who lives in his home. The defendant has successfully surrounded himself with children who are around the same age as the children in the (explicit) files he possessed and distributed, which makes him a direct threat to all children in the community, as well as his home.”

Maddison worked as a strength and conditioning coach and speed team manager for USA Climbing, and the organization confirmed his employment was terminated shortly after the arrest.

USA Climbing, in a press release, also emphasized the safety of its athletes as the organization’s highest priority.

“We are fully compliant with policy and compliance requirements through the U.S. Center for SafeSport, and all (USA Climbing) employees undergo mandatory background checks,” the press release said. “We are cooperating with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that only one letter submitted to the court was in support of Maddison. The others advocated for a stricter sentence.

The post Summit County resident, a former USA Climbing coach, could spend up to 15 years in prison for child pornography appeared first on Park Record.

An information technology administrator employed by the Park City School District was arrested last week after an investigation in the United Kingdom allegedly uncovered his participation in multiple incidents involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Utah County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Garrett Harmon, 29, on Friday and listed 10 potential charges tied to the sexual exploitation of a minor in a probable cause statement. The arrest documents mention Harmon’s work as an IT systems administrator with the Park City School District.

District officials released a statement over the weekend saying law enforcement notified them of the arrest. They said the district “immediately took appropriate action under district policy” but did not clarify whether Harmon is still an employee.

“The individual’s primary job responsibilities involved working with district staff, and their role did not include direct interaction with students,” a district spokesperson said. “Due to the fact that this involves an ongoing law enforcement investigation and district personnel, we’re limited in the information we can provide.”

The investigation into Harmon started in June 2025 when law enforcement officials in the U.K. arrested and charged a U.K. citizen with offenses related to child exploitation, according to court documents. European investigators seized and reviewed a phone as part of the arrest, and encrypted conversations between the U.K. citizen and a Utah resident reportedly indicated both men “identified themselves as adult males with a sexual interest in children.”

The conversations allegedly included an admission that Harmon had previously sexually abused minors, “including his younger sibling and his younger sibling’s friend.”

“In January 2025, the Utah-based suspect stated he had recently inappropriately touched several boys during a camping trip involving approximately 30 boys between the ages of 11 and 18,” the probable cause statement said. “He described an activity at a lake where he helped boys get back into kayaks and admitted to touching them in a sexual manner while attempting to make the contact appear natural and avoid drawing attention.”

The court document said Harmon also mentioned he was married and that he and his wife were attempting to have a child, with subsequent statements “describing his intent to sexually abuse a future child.”

“In total, the Utah-based suspect distributed approximately five images he claimed depicted himself and approximately 18 files depicting what appeared to be minors, including infants, engaged in sexually explicit content,” the court document said.

U.K. investigators used facial recognition technology on a photo of Harmon to identify him. The photo matched images of Harmon on his social media accounts, and Utah real estate records showed he lived in Eagle Mountain.

Harmon is being held without bail in Utah County. The Utah County Attorney’s Office has not yet filed official charges in the case.

The Park City School District directed anyone in need of resources to the Utah Sexual Assault Helpline, which provides 24-hour support to those who call 801-736-4356.

The post Park City School District employee arrested for alleged sexual exploitation of a minor appeared first on Park Record.

Temple Har Shalom’s sign on S.R. 224 was vandalized over the weekend in what synagogue leaders are calling an antisemitic attack days before the Jewish community’s most important holidays.

Rabbi Jeff Dreifus said a synagogue administrator noticed the property damage on Monday and speculated the incident happened late Saturday night or Sunday. He said the sign’s letters had been ripped off and the Star of David was destroyed.

“It’s very disheartening because Jews have been part of Park City’s history and Park City’s community for so long and are so active in making this community better,” Dreifus said. “We call our synagogue our Jewish home in the mountains. For your home to be defaced by someone who clearly wants us not to feel comfortable and not feel safe in this community, it’s really sad.”

Temple Har Shalom President June K. Volk said the incident was additionally upsetting because it happened before Rosh Hashanah, one of the Jewish faith’s most important holidays. But the start of the High Holy Days, which begins with Rosh Hashanah on Friday night and will culminate with Yom Kippur toward the end of September, is also providing comfort in the wake of the vandalism.

“During these days, we do a lot of introspection, reflection, and we think about ways to make our world stronger and better,” Volk said. “We call that concept ‘tikkun olam,’ and that means ‘repairing the world.’ We look not only inward, but outward to do better for the coming year.”

Dreifus said the vandalism is “unfortunately not unexpected or surprising” considering the current political environment in the United States and the rise of anti-semitic conflicts over the past few years. His parents’ synagogue in Michigan, his cousin’s synagogue in Mississippi and his hometown synagogue in Tennessee have all been threatened with violence, which Dreifus said showcases the pervasive intimidation the Jewish faith is experiencing.

“This act was done by a person who doesn’t want us to feel safe in this community, but the Jewish faith and Jewish people are a people of joy and of finding meaning in life and of making the world a better place,” Dreifus said. “We’re not going to let this person’s act intimidate us or detract from our joy, especially in this season of the Jewish High Holy Days.”

Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies are present for every synagogue event, and the building itself has cameras and security measures in place, Dreifus said. He emphasized Temple Har Shalom’s commitment to keeping the synagogue and its visitors safe, adding that more cameras will be installed to monitor the sign when it’s replaced.

“We have received so much support, and I think it’s important to keep that perspective,” Dreifus said. “Maybe there are a small few who want us to feel intimidated, but the vast majority of the people in Park City and the people in America and the people around the world are good neighbors and good friends and have love in their hearts. … We have a vibrant Jewish community, and we should be proud of that.”

Sgt. Skyler Talbot with the Sheriff’s Office said the department is investigating the vandalism, but it’s too early in the process to determine if there will be hate crime enhancements to any potential charges.

“Summit County is better than this,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Friday morning. “Intentionally damaging another person’s property is unacceptable, and targeting an individual or group because of their religion makes the conduct even more concerning. Every member of our community should feel safe and respected. The Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate acts of intimidation, harassment or discrimination directed at members of our community.”

The post Temple Har Shalom vandalized days before Jewish community celebrates its holiest holidays appeared first on Park Record.

Eric Mainord, a Summit County sheriff’s deputy who briefly ran for sheriff in Wasatch County, had at least three formal complaints filed against him during his previous employment with the Heber City Police Department, according to documents provided to The Park Record through a public records request.

Outgoing Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby, who lost the primary election this summer to Wasatch County Director of Emergency Services Jeremy Hales, contacted Summit County officials in January to express concerns about Mainord’s involvement in the Kouri Richins trial. Mainord withdrew from the race on May 27.

Mainord announced his candidacy for Wasatch County sheriff on Jan. 7, and Rigby met with Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates the following day. Rigby, now under investigation in Summit County for allegedly interfering with a criminal case, brought a list of 13 claims he said would damage Mainord’s credibility, all of which reportedly stemmed from his employment with the Heber City Police Department from 2013 to 2019.

The Park Record obtained documentation of complaints filed against Mainord while he was employed by Heber City through a Government Records Access and Management Act, which showed he was disciplined and placed on probation at least three times while a member of the Heber City Police Department.

On Tuesday, Mainord declined to comment on the complaints filed against him or the ongoing criminal investigation into Rigby’s actions.

A letter from the Police Department dated Aug. 3, 2015, said Mainord had acted in “an abusive manner” toward a citizen and called his behavior “angry, unprofessional (and) rude.” It also said Mainord threatened to cite or arrest the citizen for an incident “that did not occur” and that he “had insufficient evidence for charges.”

Three supervisors within the department investigated the complaint and determined Mainord had acted inappropriately, according to the letter.

“We are surprised and concerned over the anger you exhibited in the video and concerned with your personal wellbeing and potential stressors that may be aggravating your wellbeing,” the letter said. “We find also that the allegations are sustained and a violation of, or in conflict with, various policies and procedures.”

One policy infraction included a failure to read the citizen their Miranda rights, which inform people of their constitutional rights during a police investigation, the letter said. He also reportedly failed to activate his body camera as required by the department when a situation “becomes adversarial.”

The letter said department supervisors were concerned about Mainord’s behavior because of two previous incidents that caused him to be verbally reprimanded in 2013 and 2014.

Specifically, the document said Mainord cursed at a member of the public at a farmers market in 2013 and was “verbally counseled and warned to correct the behavior.” In 2014, he was again verbally reprimanded for arguing with a Wasatch County employee, according to the letter.

Mainord was asked to comply with a “fitness for duty examination” and follow any recommendations in addition to attending a required anger management class. He was also suspended from participating in special assignments, such as the SWAT team, and barred from receiving overtime unless approved by a supervisor for six months.

He violated the department’s corrective action plan less than two months after the first letter was issued, according to the document.

On Oct. 1, 2015, Mainord was reprimanded for a second time after he allegedly failed to follow orders, “used inappropriate force” and “acted unprofessionally in the presence of the general public by using unnecessary foul language.”

The letter said Mainord was asked to protect an underage girl during an “undercover takedown operation” involving an individual suspected of an inappropriate relationship with the minor. Mainord was ordered to stay with the girl while other officers apprehended the adult individual outside of a restaurant, but Mainord allegedly entered the establishment and contacted the suspect before he left the building.

“You drew your weapon on a suspect who was not posing any threat, whose arms were occupied with a package, and there was no specific information available indicating that there would be a threat,” the letter said. “While your weapon was drawn, you physically engaged the suspect without holstering your weapon while other officers were available to physically take the suspect into custody.”

The document said Mainord also “used foul language in front of uninvolved restaurant patrons and employees.”

Mainord’s supervisors wrote that he violated the city’s personnel policy by refusing to “comply with lawful instruction” and engaging in “insubordination” in addition to violating the Police Department’s procedures surrounding reasonable force and professionalism.

“The violations are further aggravated by recent discipline where mistreatment of another member of the public was addressed,” the letter said. “Because these types of incidents are continuing, a pattern of poor relations between you, the general public and neighboring agencies continues to bring discredit to the Heber City Police Department.”

The second incident led the department to place Mainord on probation for one year, which meant he was ineligible to participate in specialized or out-of-state training, as well as specialized assignments. He was removed from the SWAT team, and the active period for his corrective action plan was extended until May 2016.

Mainord was denied a merit pay increase for the year, too.

The department also mandated Mainord meet with a supervisor “bi-monthly” to “concentrate on (his) attitude and feelings pertaining to the general public, surrounding agencies” and the Heber City Police Department. The supervisor was responsible for documenting Mainord’s work performance and providing him with “coping mechanisms in dealing with stress and deescalating situations.”

Mainord was disciplined for a third time in 2017 after he was involved in a “verbal altercation” with a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, according to another letter in Mainord’s personnel file. The document said the trooper was removing debris from U.S. 40 when Mainord drove by and allegedly passed the trooper “too close,” which caused the trooper to make a rude hand gesture at Mainord.

Mainord then pulled over to talk with the trooper, but the “discussion quickly turned heated and generated a complaint” from the Utah Highway Patrol, the letter said.

Mainord’s supervisors wrote he “unnecessarily” stopped to interact with the trooper “who was obviously hostile” and chose to engage in an argument instead of apologizing, de-escalating the situation or ignoring the trooper. Mainord also cursed at the trooper and reportedly taunted him, based on body camera video the department reviewed.

“The altercation became so heated that (the trooper) called for backup units,” the letter said. “Regardless of our opinion of (the trooper’s) choice, this caused multiple emergency resources to be deployed unnecessarily to a ridiculous situation that you had every opportunity to avoid.”

The letter said Mainord showed a “continuing pattern of conduct” that is “further degrading relations” between Mainord, the public and other law enforcement agencies.

“This discredit has now become so pronounced that when the Wasatch County sheriff was called to testify on a legal action against you, his testimony was damaging,” the letter said, referring to former Wasatch County Sheriff Todd Bonner. “This despite the case being defensible in every other way.”

The document said Mainord was told to take days off with pay and “analyze (his) desire to remain with the department.” He was asked to provide a corrective action plan to his supervisors but failed to do so, which the letter said was “discouraging.”

Mainord was suspended without pay for five days and reassigned as a code enforcement officer and bailiff. He was placed on probation for one year and denied a merit pay increase.

The department also mandated that Mainord meet with a supervisor once a week to discuss his feelings about the job and learn coping strategies. Mainord also received another body camera, which he was directed to activate “anytime a contact becomes ‘adversarial.’”

Mainord appealed the disciplinary actions associated with the Utah Highway Patrol incident, but former Heber City Manager Mark Anderson upheld the department’s findings after reviewing statements from Mainord and the state trooper, body camera footage and internal city reports.

“As I contemplated what a fair outcome would be, the issue that I have to grapple with is the fact that there is a documented pattern of confrontational behavior that has caused harm to the Heber City Police Department’s reputation and enhanced potential liability/risk to the city,” Anderson wrote. “As we discussed, the public is more likely to file suit against the city if the officer involved in an incident has a history of documented aggressive behavior. The risk is increased if other law enforcement agencies view the officer as a problem officer that is difficult to work with.”

Anderson added that he was “confident” Mainord had “the work ethic to be very successful in code enforcement” and encouraged him to view the reassignment as a way to “have a huge positive impact on the appearance of our community.”

“Lastly, Eric, please be aware that the city acknowledges that you have made progress in this area, and that you have solved several high profile crimes through tenacious work effort and … good judgment in many instances,” Anderson said. “The city also appreciates your continued loyalty you have shown. I hope that you will address the issues identified by police leadership, as you have the potential to make a big difference in the department and the city.”

Rigby in a statement to The Park Record through his attorney said the disciplinary records “corroborated Heber City’s findings” that Mainord “used excessive force, was insubordinate and unprofessional in his conduct with citizens and other law enforcement agencies.”

The statement said Rigby “had a duty under Utah law” to report Mainord to Bates since she was the newly appointed sheriff.

“Sheriff Rigby met with Bates in order to protect Wasatch County citizens from potentially being subjected to Mainord’s excessive use of force and unprofessional conduct,” the statement said. “Mainord was expected to soon be part of the Wasatch Back Major Crimes Task Force, which, as a member of, Mainord would potentially investigate serious crimes in Wasatch County. … Sheriff Rigby’s discussion with Bates concerning Mainord’s disciplinary history was consistent with his statutory duty and professional accountability.”

Editor’s note: This article was updated to include a statement from Rigby.

The post Heber City Police Department disciplined former Wasatch County sheriff candidate Eric Mainord multiple times, personnel file shows appeared first on Park Record.

A 24-year-old man has been ordered to leave the United States after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a Park City High School student.

Third District Judge Richard Mrazik sentenced Conrrado Ahuexoteco to 48 months of probation after he pleaded guilty to third-degree forcible sexual abuse, according to court documents. He also ordered Ahuexoteco, who was in the United States illegally, to leave the country.

A misdemeanor charge for obstruction of justice was dropped in return for the plea, and Mrazik signed a continuous protective order preventing Ahuexoteco from contacting the teenage girl he assaulted.

The girl, who was a Park City High School student at the time of the assault, reported the incident two days after it happened in late February, according to court documents. She agreed to a medical examination, and nurses noted her body had signs of injuries. The girl also showed investigators an Instagram account she’d found that appeared to belong to Ahuexoteco.

The girl told detectives that she went to her friend’s house near the school and was in bed, watching videos on her phone, while her friend took a shower. Ahuexoteco, who was referred to in court documents as the friend’s 24-year-old ex-boyfriend, also came to the house and asked the girl if he could watch videos with her.

He then proceeded to get into bed and touched her inappropriately despite the girl repeatedly telling him to stop.

The Park City Police Department interviewed two other minors who were at the home when the incident happened. Both said they saw Ahuexoteco in the bed with the girl. They told detectives they didn’t see the assault happen, but the girl told them about it afterward.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Ahuexoteco’s DNA and went to his residence, but Ahuexoteco said his name was Jose and provided officers with a different unit number than the one he lived in when confronted.

The unit number he provided was on the other side of the apartment complex, but detectives watched Ahuexoteco walk into a unit with a different number than the one he’d just described. The unit he entered was the apartment they believed Ahuexoteco lived in based on his car registration.

Officers arrested and interviewed Ahuexoteco, who claimed to have met the girl two or three times. However, he insisted he “never really talked” to her and denied that he was the friend’s ex-boyfriend.

Ahuexoteco has been held in the Summit County Jail without bail since his arrest. Court documents did not indicate how the Summit County Attorney’s Office will ensure Ahuexoteco leaves the country to comply with his sentencing.

The post Man accused of assaulting Park City High School student ordered to leave the United States appeared first on Park Record.

A Park City dentist has been charged with two felonies and multiple misdemeanors after he allegedly engaged in “unlawful sexual conduct” with a teenager and provided her with illegal drugs.

The 16-year-old girl reported Benjamin James Wilson, a dentist with Mountain High Family Dental, to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. She told investigators that Wilson had given her alcohol, “molly, weed and shrooms” when she was visiting Park City in June.

The teenager also disclosed that Wilson had given her nitrous oxide at his dental office and asked her to “measure his” genitals in exchange for more drugs, which she did.

The Summit County Attorney’s Office filed charges against Wilson on Thursday. He is facing two second-degree felonies for the distribution of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor for unlawful sexual conduct with a teenager, a Class A misdemeanor for giving alcohol to a minor and a Class B misdemeanor for “contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

Third District Judge Richard Mrazik signed a warrant for Wilson’s arrest, and he was scheduled to attend court in an initial appearance on Friday.

Second-degree felonies carry a potential prison sentence of one to 15 years and up to a $10,000 fine.

Mountain High Family Dental had not responded to a request for comment, including details on Wilson’s employment status with the business, by the time of publication.

The post Park City dentist charged for alleged sexual misconduct with teenage patient appeared first on Park Record.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is searching for three people who were allegedly involved in an assault in the Snyderville Basin last week.

The department received a report of three men attacking a man and a woman in the Canyons Village area on Friday. The man had significant injuries to his face, and the woman’s face also appeared red and sore after the attack.

The victims said the attackers were strangers and identified the group as two white men and one Polynesian man. They did not know their attackers’ names or license plate information.

The altercation reportedly started when the three strangers began making derogatory remarks toward the man and woman as they were walking back to their car after a concert. It then turned physical.

The Sheriff’s Office said no suspects have been arrested, and deputies have not located the cars despite receiving multiple vehicle descriptions throughout the investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple other calls between Monday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 30, including suspected DUIs, mail theft and medical emergencies.

Sunday, Aug. 30

Deputies responded to a single-vehicle accident in the Snyderville Basin. The driver showed signs of impairment and was cited for suspected DUI before he was released to medical staff.

Saturday, Aug. 29

Deputies stopped a car traveling in the Snyderville Basin after observing traffic violations, but they suspected impairment once they spoke to the driver. The driver performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was arrested for a suspected DUI. Deputies also found an open container of alcohol inside the vehicle.

Friday, Aug. 28

Deputies were dispatched to assist with CPR on an individual who had been hiking the Wasatch Crest trail in Millcreek. They stayed on scene until Salt Lake County deputies could respond.

A caller reported suspicious vehicles in Silver Summit. Deputies contacted one of the drivers and learned she was a package delivery driver, but they found an empty shipping box that she had seemingly thrown out of her car. Deputies contacted the individual on the shipping label, who said the package had not been delivered. The driver of the second car opened the vehicle’s trunk where undelivered packages were located. Deputies saw the contents of the discarded box inside and arrested the first driver for mail theft.

Thursday, Aug. 27

Deputies identified a suspicious vehicle parked at a Kimball Junction gas station. They contacted the driver and discovered she was on probation. During a search of the car, deputies found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The driver was arrested and booked into the Summit County Jail.

The post Sheriff’s Report: Deputies investigate assault of two individuals in the Canyons Village area appeared first on Park Record.

Kouri Darden Richins, the Kamas mother of three convicted of killing her husband, Eric Richins, was ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution to two life insurance companies that granted her funds from Eric’s policies after his death.

Summit County prosecutors filed a motion in July requesting Third District Judge Richard Mrazik order Darden Richins to pay $1 million to Auto Owners Insurance and $350,000 to TruStage. Darden Richins was listed as her husband’s beneficiary and received the money from his life insurance policies when he died.

However, prosecutors argued during her trial that Darden Richins killed Eric for financial gain. Darden Richins, who had a business flipping houses, was $7.5 million in debt at the time of Eric’s death in March 2022 and was paying $80,000 a month to her lenders, according to a forensic accountant who testified this spring.

Defense attorney Wendy Lewis told Mrazik on Friday that the defense team was not contesting the restitution amount or requesting a full hearing on the issue. She asked Mrazik to pause restitution payments until Darden Richins’ pending appeal is settled. However, Mrazik said state law requires him to immediately send information to debt collectors if a defendant has been convicted.

Darden Richins filed an appeal in late May, two weeks after Mrazik sentenced her to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. Appellate cases do not focus on the crime or the evidence presented at trial but on potential procedural errors and whether the trial was conducted correctly.

Shortly after her sentencing, Darden Richins accused Mrazik of displaying bias throughout her case and asked for a new trial, as well as a new judge. But part of her request was denied after Third District Judge Kara Pettit, who has not been involved in Darden Richins’ case, said the motion to remove Mrazik was invalid because it failed to meet timelines established under state law.

Pettit said Darden Richins additionally failed to demonstrate Mrazik’s perceived bias, writing that Mrazik’s actions did not show “the level of extreme behavior or conduct reflecting a deep-seated antagonism toward (the) defense, nor favoritism toward the prosecution, to warrant disqualification.”

Prosecutors have until Sept. 4 to respond to the motion for a new trial, and a decision isn’t expected until October.

Darden Richins was convicted of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery and two counts of insurance fraud earlier this year.

The post Kouri Darden Richins ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution to life insurance companies appeared first on Park Record.

Firefighters are close to fully containing the Rocky Canyon Fire after a weekend of successful operations, but officials are reminding residents and visitors that there are still dangerous conditions in the area.

The Rocky Canyon Fire stretched 16,464 acres and was 85% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to Utah Fire Info. However, state officials noted that progress may be limited over the next few days as teams work to balance containment efforts while keeping firefighters safe.

“Every tactical decision is grounded in a careful assessment of fire behavior, terrain, weather and available resources,” officials said. “While aggressive action can offer strategic advantages, no operational objective outweighs firefighter lives and safety. The team will continue to engage with the fire in ways that allow crews to work effectively and without undue exposure.”

Officials said first responders are prioritizing the containment of flames in Bishop’s Canyon to prevent the fire from progressing farther this week. Crews will patrol the area and ensure the fire doesn’t spread to private property.

However, Utah Fire Info said in a press release that “gusty and erratic winds” were expected Tuesday afternoon, which could affect fire behavior and force crews to pivot to other suppression strategies.

“This is why firefighters completed firing operations in advance of the wind shift to build a strong control line to hold the fire,” officials said.

S.R. 65 and S.R. 66 both reopened to the public on Monday evening, but officials asked residents to remain cautious because of debris on the road. Drivers should also watch out for mudslides as moisture returns to the area, according to Utah Fire Info.

“Entrances to the Wildlife Management Area and the north entrance of East Canyon State Park will remain closed,” officials added. “East Canyon Reservoir is closed to motorized boating but is open to non-motorized activities accessed at the south entrance.”

Henefer residents who evacuated were allowed to return to their homes last week after an increase in humidity and cloud cover helped curtail the fire’s progress. Officials last week told community members that cleanup efforts will likely take a few weeks.

The Summit County community has rallied to support local and state firefighters working to contain the blaze, posting signs and words of encouragement along the border of the fire area. 

Parkite Michelle Rankin also hosted a letter-writing campaign at the Park City Municipal and Athletic Recreation Center last week. She estimated dozens if not hundreds of people stopped to write a note of support for first responders, which she delivered to a fire station in Henefer for firefighters to read during their lunch break.

“It’s really pulling people together,” Rankin said in a previous interview with The Park Record. “In Summit County, we know our firefighters and our Sheriff’s Office, and we want to show our neighboring towns and counties that we’re here.”

Rankin and those who stopped to write a letter said the outpouring of love and support is a sign that Park City and Summit County have strong, passionate communities.

“It’s kindness, it’s love and it’s compassion,” Rankin said. “This is a place where I think people think about others first, so people want to come together and do something.”

Information on the Rocky Canyon Fire is available through the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Fire Info and by visiting tinyurl.com/ym2jtc36.

The post Rocky Canyon Fire reaches 85% containment, but officials ask nearby residents to remain cautious in the area appeared first on Park Record.