By Travis Uresk
7/10/23
Hanna, Ut.-On 7/1/23, 35-year-old Tyler Brandon Defa walked into the Defa Dude Ranch Bar, and according to the reporting party, he pushed the manager up against a door. An ambulance was dispatched due to the manager having trouble breathing.
When Deputy Cox arrived at the bar, he was told that the male had left and was possibly somewhere at the ranch. Cox spoke with several witnesses who said that Tyler shoved the manager into the door at the entrance, and she had lost consciousness due to the assault.
Deputy Cox spoke with the female manager, who was being treated by medical staff, and she stated that Tyler walked into the bar with a dog, and the bartender told him that he couldn't have a dog inside the bar. Tyler told the bartender to "Fuck off."
The bartender stated Tyler never said his dog was a service dog until later. The bartender told Tyler if he was going to have a bad attitude, he needed to leave, and refused and said, "He didn't have to."
The bartender said the next thing she remembered was Tyler grabbing the front of her shirt, shoving her into the entrance door, then waking up on the floor. The female had visible injuries on her neck under her left ear, which appeared swollen. She also had marks on her left upper arm.
Cox went over to the Tac Shed, where Tyler was supposed to be staying, and went through the area but couldn't find him. The Deputy provided his contact information to the witnesses to notify him if they saw Tyler.
A couple of hours later, Deputy Cox received a call that Tyler was seen being driven around by another intoxicated male and had returned to the Tac Shed.
Cox arrived at the bar shortly after being informed and found Tyler lying on the couch by the front door. Deputy Cox placed Tyler in handcuffs and read him his Miranda Rights.
While placing Tyler in handcuffs, Cox could smell a strong odor of burnt marijuana.
Deputy Cox asked Tyler to tell him his side of the story. Tyler wanted to show Cox evidence on his phone, and he pulled up a page on service dog laws. He said he also had a video of the incident, which Deputy Cox watched.
Deputy Cox stated, "I couldn't hear a lot due to the music, and I could see there was a fight but couldn't see anything other than his phone moving around a lot."
Tyler stated he never shoved the manager into the door, and Cox advised him that he was being arrested for assault, causing substantial bodily injury due to her losing consciousness.
Before placing Tyler in the patrol vehicle, he told Deputy Cox he had some marijuana in his pocket along with a pipe.
Tyler Defa was transported and booked into the Duchesne County Jail.
Tyler Defa from Kauai refuses to get off the plane in Hawaii
Defa's Dude Ranch - Camera 3 - July 1 2023
What is your opinion on who started the fight?
