This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Several people observed Aaron Daniel Hosman repeatedly punching a yelping Chihuahua on the side of the road near 3600 West and 4100 South in West Valley City on the afternoon of June 7.
But it was 47-year-old Jeremy Hardman and his friend and co-worker, Jason Estes, who pulled over and verbally confronted Hosman — who minutes later allegedly used his car to run over and kill Hardman.
On Wednesday, Hosman, 40, was charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony murder.
He also was charged with second-degree felony obstructing justice, for allegedly altering the appearance of his car; and class B misdemeanor animal cruelty, for allegedly beating the dog.
Hosman, who was arrested June 10, is being held at the Salt Lake County jail in lieu of $1 million cash-only bail. No court dates were immediately set.
Charging documents say that after Hardman and Estes spoke to Hosman, he got into a black car and sped away. Police say Hosman took the dog with him.
Hardman and Estes returned to Estes' vehicle. But then Hardman returned on foot to the site of the confrontation to retrieve something he had left on the side of the road, charges state.
Hardman was in a crosswalk when, according to witnesses, Hosman made a U-turn, veered toward Hardman and struck him, charges state.
One witness told police that the black car appeared to aim for Hardman and accelerated as it struck him, charges state.
Hardman was thrown 54 feet by the impact. An accident reconstructionist determined the black car was traveling a minimum of 24-36 mph. Witnesses estimated the car's speed at about 40 mph, charges state.
The vehicle was described as a 2001-2005 model four-door Lexus with mismatched wheels and heavily damaged windshield.
The day after the fatal collision, an anonymous tipster identified the owner as Hosman, charges state.
And on June 9, a Taylorsville woman called police to report that a black car with no windshield had just driven past her home. The woman drove the area until she spotted the car parked on the side of the road, where a man pulled a tarp over it and then left the area, charges state.
When police seized the car, they noted that it had been partially painted white, the wheels had been changed and the license plate was registered to a different vehicle, charges state. But the vehicle identification number (VIN) was registered to Hosman.
On the evening of June 10, a West Jordan police officer spotted Hosman near 7800 S. 2700 West and arrested him without incident, police said.
Hosman told police that he had returned the dog which he had allegedly been beating to a friend, but investigators were unable to locate the friend or the dog.
On June 15, West Valley City police reported they had found both the dog, Buddi, and its owner. West Valley City Animal Services examined Buddi and told police it was "doing fine" and was in the custody of its owner, according to a news release.