PROVO, Utah — The man charged with hitting and killing Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser with a semi-truck made his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon.
Michael Aaron Jayne, 42, appeared before Judge Robert Lund in Utah's Fourth Judicial District Court, where he has nine felony charges against him. He attended the hearing virtually from the Utah County Jail in Spanish Fork.
When he appeared on-screen, Jayne was in a wheelchair, he had a neck brace and an apparent oxygen tube in his nose. He also had visible cuts on his face. He was in the hospital for nearly a week after the incident before he was cleared and booked into jail. The Utah County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that he suffered serious injuries in the crash that led to his arrest on May 5.
His speech was difficult to understand at times as he confirmed his identity and requested a public defender. The court then asked him to raise his right hand and swear to tell the truth as they determined if he qualified for a court-appointed lawyer — he replied that he cannot raise his hand.
The judge asked him about his employment, to which he replied that has no current access to employment or money since his arrest. The judge then ruled that he be appointed an attorney.
Jayne was also advised that there is a protective order against him, prohibiting him from contacting the woman whom he allegedly held captive in his truck before being pulled over.
The full hearing can be viewed below:
Jayne is charged with aggravated murder for the death of Hooser. He's also charged with two counts of attempted aggravated murder for allegedly trying to run over a Utah Highway Patrol trooper and an unidentified woman, whom authorities say he was holding captive in his truck after threatening her with a knife and bear spray. For that, he also faces a charge of aggravated kidnapping.
Jayne is also facing three counts of theft, one count of burglary, and failure to respond to an officer's signal to stop. After allegedly hitting and killing Hooser, prosecutors say he went on the run and stole multiple vehicles — one semi and two pickup trucks — before he was finally caught more than 200 miles away in Vernal.
His charge of aggravated murder for Hooser's death was initially classified as a capital offense; in Wednesday's hearing, the judge asked the state to amend it to a first-degree felony because he hasn't made a plea yet.
He is being held without bail. His next appearance is Tuesday at 11 a.m. before Judge James Brady.
