PROVO, Utah — The man charged with killing a Santaquin police officer by allegedly running him over with a truck earlier this year appeared in a Provo Wednesday.
Michael Jayne, who will face the death penalty, sat next to his defense team in front of Judge Thomas Low to determine the date of an upcoming preliminary hearing.
Crime
Suspect in officer's death previously attempted to run over different officer
Jayne is accused of killing Ofc. Bill Hooser on May 5, moments after the officer and a Utah Highway Patrol trooper pulled over Jayne's truck on Interstate 15. Instead of exiting the cab of the truck, as instructed, Jayne allegedly turned around and sped towards the officers, striking Hooser.
After fleeing the scene, Jayne then stole multiple vehicles before he was located and stopped nearly 150 miles away in Vernal.
Watch video of full Michael Jayne hearing below:
During Wednesday's brief hearing, all sides agreed to a two-day preliminary hearing beginning on May 12.
In the weeks after the incident, Jayne's girlfriend told police that during their travels he had become violent after taking methamphetamine and at one point used bear spray and a knife to threaten her.
On May 5, Jayne called 911 to say a "Hells Angel gang member was on the trailer of his truck." With Jayne driving erratically, the woman said she was afraid they would be involved in an accident and wrote her name, as well as "HELP ME" and "Michael Jayne Took me" on a piece of paper.
