Man pleads guilty to assaulting family members, driving car into Layton home
by Cassidy Wixom ksl · KSL.comKEY TAKEAWAYS
- Marco Jamie Rodriguez pleaded guilty to charges from incidents in August and January.
- Charges include domestic violence-related assault, drug possession and prohibited weapons conduct.
- Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced for both cases on Dec. 1.
LAYTON — A man accused of assaulting several members of his extended family and driving a car into a Layton home in August has pleaded guilty to about half of his charges.
Marco Jamie Rodriguez, 28, was charged in 2nd District Court with four counts of domestic violence-related aggravated assault, five counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, and failing to stop at police officer's command, all third-degree felonies. He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and LSD, and obstruction of justice, class A misdemeanors; and class B misdemeanors for driving under the influence, domestic violence assault, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On Aug. 3, Layton dispatch received a report of a domestic disturbance in Layton. Layton officers arrived and spoke with a victim who said Rodriguez was arguing with him and "slapped him in the mouth," the charges state.
Rodriguez then assaulted another relative in the carport area and got into a vehicle to leave with the man, the charges said.
The victim said he and three others were all standing in the carport when he noticed Rodriguez had "a look in his eyes."
The victim "told everyone to get into the house. As they were trying to get into the house, (Rodriguez) accelerated his vehicle toward them, hitting the outside brick of the home and breaking a chair, missing all of the individuals," the charges said.
Rodriguez then fled the home, and officers spotted his vehicle on U.S. 89. A Utah Highway Patrol trooper attempted a traffic stop, but Rodriguez did not stop, the charges said.
Police said Rodriguez was driving at varying speeds up to 100 miles an hour and passed multiple vehicles by entering the right shoulder of the road.
The trooper made contact with the vehicle, "sending it into a concrete wall," according to the charges. Rodriguez then got out of his car and allegedly threw an orange bag over the freeway wall before he was taken into custody. The bag was retrieved and officers located meth, cocaine and LSD in it, the charges state.
"Because of the defendant's driving pattern, speech and his possession of drugs, DUI is suspected," the charges state.
Police requested that Rodriguez be held without possibility for bail because at the time of the incident, he was out on release awaiting trial for a different 2nd District case. In that case, Rodriguez was arrested in January after trespassing at an assisted living facility in Bountiful.
According to charges, the facility called police after Rodriguez entered the premises. The facility management asked the man to leave, but he "repeatedly dozed off and appeared to be under the influence of narcotics," charges state.
Police arrived, and after Rodriguez refused to identify himself and demonstrated difficulty in walking, he was arrested, the charges said. He was searched, and police said they located a loaded gun and a bag with THC, Adderall and methamphetamine on him.
He was charged with prohibited dangerous weapon conduct, a third-degree felony; possession of methamphetamine, a class A misdemeanor; failing to disclose identity, possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors.
On Oct. 20, Rodriguez submitted pleas for some of the charges in both cases. For the August case, he pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence-related aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of children, failing to stop at an officer's command, possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.
For the January case, he pleaded guilty to the prohibited weapons conduct charge and possession of methamphetamine.
As part of his plea agreements, the rest of the charges in both cases were dismissed, according to court records. He is scheduled to be sentenced for both cases on Dec. 1.
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