An Off-Duty Deputy Calls Dispatch On His Neighbor For A Possible Domestic Violence

Posted by Travis Uresk | May 15th, 2023 | Domestic Violence |

By Travis Uresk

5/15/23

Ballard, Ut.- On 5/11/23, Deputy Embleton was dispatched to a residence in Ballard to a report of a possible domestic violence. The complainant, an off-duty Duchesne County Sheriff's Deputy, reported that his neighbors were possibly fighting.

Once on scene, Deputy Embleton spoke with the DCS Deputy who was outside the residence with a male individual identified as 33-year-old Matthew Allen Stringham.

Deputy Ouderkirk and Sgt. Watkins arrived to assist and went to the residence to speak with the female and the two juveniles.

Matthew stated he and his wife had been arguing for the past few hours, and after he had gone back inside after leaving to get some air, the female started the argument back up and said she was going to leave.

Matthew told her she didn't need to leave and they could talk things out. At one point, his two stepchildren tried to enter the master bedroom where Matthew and his wife were arguing. Matthew had to hold his foot against the door to keep them out, and he told the children that everything was alright and he and their mother were just working things out. Matthew stated he never kept his wife in the room, and when she wanted to leave, he stepped aside.

Matthew stated he and his wife ended up getting into another argument in the hallway, where he stood in the hallway telling her she didn't need to leave and they could work things out. Matthew stated at no time did he not allow his wife to leave but had just asked her to stay there long enough to work things out.

Deputy Embleton went to speak with the female and her two children, and while speaking with the female, she stated the argument had been going on all evening. After they had gotten home, Matthew kept following her around the house, trying to argue with her.

The victim said Matthew came back inside the home from being gone for a while and started arguing with her in the bedroom. She told him she would leave, and Matthew got in front of the bedroom door and wouldn't let her out. The victim stated even though he didn't put his hands on her, he used his body and shoulder to push her away from the door, preventing her from leaving, even after she begged him to let her just leave.

The victim stated her son tried pushing his way into the bedroom, but Matthew used his foot to block the door from opening. The victim said she ended up telling Matthew she was going to jump out the window if he didn't let her out and walked toward the window.

Matthew stepped away from the door long enough for her son and daughter to enter the bedroom.

The victim showed Deputy Embleton a video on her daughter's phone showing her son attempting to force his way into the bedroom. Still, the door was kept mostly closed by Matthew standing in the doorway and blocking the door from opening all the way.

The video shows the victim repeatedly asking Matthew to let her just leave, and even though Matthew states he will let her go after they talk, he never stops blocking the doorway to let his wife leave by using his body and pushing his shoulder against her as she attempts to go past him.

The video continues with the victim telling Matthew that she will jump out of the window if she has to, and Matthew placing himself in between her and the doorway multiple times.

The victim shows Deputy Embleton another video showing Matthew blocking her on the stairway using his body to prevent her from going up the stairs, and her asking Matthew repeatedly to just let her and the kids leave.

After reviewing the video's, Deputy Embleton determined Matthew was in violation of unlawfully detaining his wife in the presence of children.

Matthew Stringham was arrested and booked into the Uintah County Jail on charges of unlawful detention and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child.