By Travis Uresk
2/15/24
2/4/24
Duchesne County, Ut.- Officers responded to a residence in the unincorporated area of Duchesne County at 3:30 pm of a male brandishing a firearm.
It was reported that the suspect lives at this location and violently confronted three adults and four young children who were on his property whom he is familiar with. The male subject is dating one of the party's mothers, and they frequently visit the property.
The male subject produced a break-action 12GA shotgun, pointing it at the adult individuals and one of the children. The male threatened three of them, saying if they didn't leave the property, he would shoot and kill them.
During the time of the incident, the male suspect made a phone call to his girlfriend, telling her to come and get her kids and get them off the property, or he would shoot them. The concerned girlfriend rushed over and was contacted by law enforcement on scene.
The girlfriend advised the officers that the suspect was known to have a 12GA shotgun with him, and it was reported the suspect was believed to be on methamphetamine. If officers tried to take him into custody, he would shoot it out with law enforcement.
All parties were moved off the property to a safe location, and it was determined the subject would be approached later for the safety of all involved.
On 2/8/24, at around 8:33 am, officers were sitting near the home about to make contact with the subject when a tan Chevy extended cab pickup drove past the officers parked on the side of the road.
The truck pulled into the property with the officers behind it and made contact with the driver, who was the girlfriend. It was later found that the suspect was hiding in the front passenger seat. When ordered out of the vehicle and was advised he was under arrest, he refused to comply with orders to surrender.
The suspect finally surrendered and was taken into custody. A small plastic baggie with a white crystal-like substance was found in the right front pocket of his coveralls that is consistent with meth. The suspect admitted to using meth just hours before. A glass pipe with burnt residue was also found on the passenger seat where the suspect was sitting, along with several torch lighters.
When dealing with the suspect, who was identified as 40-year-old Michael Lee Marcelli, who was acting very lethargic and would constantly appear to be falling asleep while speaking, his speech was slurred, and his balance was poor as he stumbled often.
Michael had difficulty understanding what officers were trying to speak with him about.
Michael was taken into custody on the felony count of possession of a dangerous weapon due to the several reports filed. He was convicted of a similar crime in 2016.
Michael was found to be highly intoxicated to the point he needed medical treatment before being booked into the Duchesne County Jail.
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