This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Washington state man, accused of traveling to Utah to have sex with a 15-year-old girl he met online, allegedly attempted to kill himself when approached by Layton police officers.
Layton police Lt. Travis Lyman said a Spokane, Wash., sheriff's detective called Layton police Tuesday night saying they had attempted to do a welfare check on the suspect in Spokane, who was reported to be armed and suicidal. Spokane police learned he had traveled to Utah.
"[They then] received information that he may be at the park-and-ride lot at Antelope Drive and Highway 89 in Layton," Lyman said.
It turned out that Layton police already had the 24-year-old man on their radar in connection with the alleged online, underage sex rendezvous — and had an active arrest warrant charging him with multiple felony counts of unlawful sexual exploitation of, and sexual activity with a minor.
Lyman said Layton officers located the suspect at the lot, but he refused to exit his vehicle as ordered. Pepper spray was used to force him out, but before officers could subdue him, he cut and stabbed himself several times.
Seriously wounded, he was taken by medical helicopter to University Hospital in Salt Lake City, where he remained on Wednesday.
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