By Travis Uresk
8/6/23
Vernal, Ut.- On Friday, 7/28/23, the VPD responded to a report of an individual who was reported to be lying in the roadway in the area of around 600 South and 1400 West.
When Officer White arrived on the scene, he contacted the individual the complainant identified as 42-year-old Juston Lloyd Hills, who had been standing on the neighbor's porch.
During the Officers conversation with Juston, he wasn't wearing a shirt, and his stomach had a red pattern that contained debris consistent with lying in the road. Juston had difficulty standing without assistance from the railing, had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and smelled very strongly of alcohol.
Due to Officer White's observation, Juston was intoxicated to the point that he was a danger to himself or others. He was instructed to place his hands behind his back and was placed into handcuffs.
Juston was instructed to walk to the Officer's patrol vehicle, and he said, "Drag me over there," and began to stiffen his legs, making it difficult for the Officers to guide him to the patrol vehicle.
While walking to the patrol vehicle, Juston shouted and made unreasonable noises. The Officers instructed him to stop yelling, and he refused. Throughout their time on the scene, Juston continued to yell several times. Officer White could hear him yelling from across the street while conducting his investigation.
Once at the patrol vehicle, Officers attempted to place him into the back seat. Juston put his feet in various places on the vehicle and pushed himself off with his legs to avoid being placed inside the police vehicle. Once inside the patrol vehicle, he put his leg in the door's path so the Officers couldn't close the door.
Eventually, the Officers got the door closed, and Juston immediately began to bang his forehead on the window with such force Officer White could see the top of the door flexing outward with each strike of his head.
Juston was then removed from the vehicle and placed in a safe position to impede his ability to cause harm to himself or others while a safer form of transportation could arrive.
While waiting for the transportation to arrive, Juston collected saliva and mucus from his mouth and throat and spat at Officer White twice. Some of the saliva and mucus struck his forearm.
Eventually, Deputies with the Uintah County Jail arrived with the corrections transport van, and the VPD attempted to place Juston into the backseat of the van. Again, Juston put his feet against the vehicle, not allowing the Officers to get him inside the van. Once inside the van, he placed his foot outside the door to keep the Officers from closing the doors.
The decision was made due to Juston’s behavior that Sgt. Gledhill would ride in the van with Juston to the jail. Once the Officers and the van arrived at the Uintah County Jail, Sgt. Gledhill informed Officer White that Juston had been attempting to bang his head against the inside of the van.
Gledhill restrained his head movement to interfere with his ability to cause himself injury. During that time, Juston made attempts to bite Sgt. Gledhill's hand.
