SALT LAKE CITY -- A well-known gun advocate was booked into jail Monday on domestic violence charges.
Police said Clark Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, was trespassing on a woman’s property with a 2.5-ton truck Monday. Aposhian allegedly threatened the victim and said he would bury her.
The incident started with a Memorial Day phone call from a woman Aposhian is familiar with. Sgt. Askerlund with the Cottonwood Heights Police Dept. said they responded to the home after receiving that call.
"Stated he's come over to the house and made some threats towards her and her family...so we responded up there," he said.
Askerlund said Aposhian drove this 2.5-ton army surplus truck down the victim's street and onto her property.
"[He] honked the air horn, pulled into the residence, running over the lawn and almost striking her vehicle," he said.
Askerlund said Aposhian returned to the scene while police were investigating.
"And while we're there investigating the trespassing and the threats, he comes back, and to make a long story short: Mr. Aposhian was arrested for domestic violence and trespassing," he said.
Askerlund said when officers tried to interview Aposhian, "he was not cooperative."
"He did indicate to the officers that he was carrying a weapon," Askerlund said. "The officers took his weapon away. He was charged with a crime. They booked the weapon into evidence and transported Mr. Aposhian to jail."
According to Aposhian’s jail booking statement, he allegedly told the victim that he will go wherever he wants and he would run over the victim’s cars and bury the victim.
Aposhian's attorney sent Fox 13 a statement Tuesday night, which said in part:
"My preliminary investigation strongly indicates that the charges against Mr. Aposhian are false... Mr Aposhian made no threats and Mr. Aposhian will be completely vindicated."
Aposhian has made himself into a high-profile advocate for gun rights in Utah, partly through his willingness to be interviewed by the media and partly for his work with gun advocacy groups. He also teaches concealed weapons classes.
However, he has kept a low profile since late March when one of his expensive rifles, possibly the AR-15 he fired for Fox 13 News last year, was stolen from his car.
