A 19-year-old Utah County woman was in stable condition Monday, police said, two nights after being shot in the back of the head. Salt Lake City police say the woman and two friends were driving around town Friday throwing water balloons. About 11:45 p.m., the three were driving north on 700 East when someone in another car fired four rounds. Police said the shooter's car might have been a maroon Buick Regal. Anyone with information in the case can call 801-799-3000. Police spokesman Jared Wihongi said the 19-year-old might go home from the hospital Tuesday or Wednesday.
Middle school windows smashed
Someone broke 13 windows Saturday at a Salt Lake City school. About 1 p.m. police responded to a report of glass breaking at Hillside Middle School, 2375 E. Garfield Ave. Officers found the broken windows and some kind of accelerant poured inside one of the windows. Police said it appears someone lit the fluid but the fire burned out and caused little damage. Anyone with information in the case can call 801-799-3000.
Shooter fails to show in court
A 22-year-old man who was released by a judge from jail last month after pleading guilty to lesser charges in a homicide case, failed to appear in court Monday for sentencing. Tyson Yellowbear was initially charged with murdering one man and attempting to murder two others last year at a South Salt Lake home, but pleaded guilty to lesser third-degree felony counts of homicide by assault and aggravated assault. He faced up to 10 years in prison. After failing to appear on Monday, 3rd District Judge William Barrett issued a $50,000 warrant for his arrest. After crashing a party on March 25, 2006, at an apartment near 3500 South and 500 East, Yellowbear shot and killed Danny Brown Tapuaialupe, 23, and wounded Pesio Vaeluaga, 32, charging documents say.
Police ID body found in creek
A body found Saturday in Big Cottonwood Creek was identified as Rie Motoi, 24, of Japan. Investigators do not know why Motoi was in Utah but do not believe she met with foul play, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Rex Mulholland. An autopsy is scheduled. A hiker found Motoi's body Saturday evening. Mulholland said Motoi had lived in California but her last known residence was Japan.
Animal abuser sentenced to jail
A Salt Lake County man accused of assaulting a girlfriend and abusing kittens was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail and probation for one year. Clint L. Wilkes, 29, had pleaded no contest to animal abandonment and guilty to simple assault, both class B misdemeanors. Salt Lake Justice Court Judge Peggy Acomb ordered Wilkes to obtain an evaluation and treatment, and submit to random drug testing. Restitution for both cases is yet to be determined. Of five kittens that Wilkes found through newspaper ads, several suffered injuries and all eventually disappeared, according to prosecutors. The girlfriend suffered bruises and hit her head when Wilkes threw her down onto paving stones last summer.
