ST. GEORGE — No charges have been filed against a man who reportedly was carrying a firearm and threatened a hiker on an Ivins trail Dec. 6.
Washington County sheriff’s deputies spoke to the individuals involved and learned that the reporting party was purportedly hiking on the trail with a dog off leash when she encountered a man in his 70s who was also walking on the trail and “openly carrying a firearm,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Deputies also learned of allegations made stating the man had threatened the hiker with the firearm if she didn’t put the dog on the leash. St. George News received several emails regarding the incident, which was reported on Dec. 6 when deputies responded to an area near the Tukupetsi Trailhead in Ivins.
Through the course of the investigation, deputies spoke to the male hiker who revealed that at the time of the incident, he said he felt threatened he dog’s approach, which is when he retrieved his firearm and held it in front of him but said he pointed it towards the ground to protect himself in the event the dog attacked him.
The man denied pointing the gun in the direction of the hiker, authorities say, and he also denied ever making any threats towards the hiker.
Based on the interviews conducted, as well as the evidence collected, authorities did not have enough evidence “to file charges against anyone at this time.”
Even so, these types of situations are taken seriously by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the statement said.
Consequently, with the heightened concern for public safety in the aftermath of the incident, the sheriff’s office has deployed four deputies to patrol the rural areas of the county and to conduct extra patrols along the trails throughout the area.
“We understand the public concern with this matter and we are doing everything we can to maintain public peace,” the statement said, “while also respecting the constitutional rights of individuals while on public land.”
Further, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said it is committed to investigating any and all complaints from those who believe that a law has been violated.
In an effort to educate the public, authorities also included information on the county ordinance related to an animal running at large, which is prohibited, as it is “unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog to permit such dog to run at large,” which applies to all incorporated and unincorporated lands in the county, including state and federal lands. Other provisions of the ordinance can be found here.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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