False Police Report Ends in Arrest for Vernal Man
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
| by Travis Uresk | July 13th 2026 |
Vernal, Utah (7/9/26)—At 11:45 PM, 33-year-old Gaige McKyler Atwood called 911, reporting that he had been struck by a woman.
Deputy Anderton arrived and noticed an open bottle of alcohol on the back of a pickup truck. Gaige walked around the side of the house and sat at a table in the front yard. Shortly thereafter, the woman exited the house.
She informed the deputy that she and Gaige had been arguing all day. After stepping away from him, Gaige reentered the room and began shouting. Frustrated, she threw some clothes at him and exited.
Gaige told Deputy Anderton that the woman had pushed him out and struck him. He alleged that she picked up candles and shoes and threw them at him. While speaking with law enforcement, Gaige acknowledged having consumed alcohol.
When Deputy Anderton shone his flashlight on him, Gaige became upset and asked for the light to be turned off. The deputy explained they needed to look for any signs of injury, to which Gaige responded that he hadn’t been harmed. However, moments later, he claimed she did hit him.
Deputy Anderton entered the house to examine where the altercation occurred. The woman confirmed it took place in the bedroom and described the events. She pointed out where she had been folding laundry when Gaige came in.
She described how Gaige began to intimidate her, leading her to throw the clothes at him. The clothing was still on the floor. The deputy noted several candles on a side table and dresser, all appearing undisturbed, while the shoes were neatly organized in the closet. The woman stated she had not cleaned up after the incident.
Deputy Anderton returned to inform Gaige that he found no evidence supporting his claims of an assault. When asked if he would fill out a statement, Gaige hesitated. He was questioned twice about whether the woman had hit him, and both times he answered no.
Gaige was arrested for misuse of emergency services, intoxication, and disorderly behavior.
Earlier that night, law enforcement had already approached Gaige regarding complaints about his fireworks activity, which he continued to ignore.
Traffic and Criminal Report
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