A 76-year-old Utah man, Dennis Alma Day, allegedly called 911 and said he was trying to kill his wife in a “personal” attack. After a short armed standoff with police, Day was arrested, with his wife having suffered a brutal sledgehammer hit to the head.
Videos by Suggest
According to an affidavit obtained by KSL.com, the incident took place on Monday, May 19, at around 8:50 a.m. Day called 911 and, allegedly, said, “I am trying to kill my wife, and it’s personal.” While he was talking with the dispatcher, Day’s wife also called 911.
She reported to dispatchers that Day had allegedly “hit her in the head with a sledgehammer and was trying to kill her.” Following the alleged attack, Day’s wife managed to escape her house and was currently bleeding on the street. She also disclosed that Day might be armed with a gun.
Upon arrival, responding officers encountered Day with a gun in his garage. The officers ordered Day to drop the gun. As per the affidavit, the suspect, instead of complying, allegedly raised the gun and pointed it at the officers. The officers, however, did not shoot at Day.
According to Police Detective Dirk Peterson, the officers instead took cover behind their vehicles. Peterson detailed, as per KSL.com, that they were concerned about their backstop. Should a shooting take place, it was possible that people inside a house could’ve been hurt.
After continuous orders to surrender, Day eventually complied, throwing his gun into the street. Police officers then took him into custody.
Alleged Attack
Upon inspecting Day’s wife, the police officers “observed blood coming down from the front, side, and back of her face and head,” as per the affidavit, reported by the Gephardt Daily. The victim told police that Day had allegedly hit her multiple times in the back of her head with a sledgehammer. She, however, was eventually able to escape what could have possibly led to her death.
“The victim managed to grab the sledgehammer from the suspect and threw it down the stairs while escaping from the house,” the affidavit detailed.
Upon inspecting Day’s garage, police officers also found a “.22 caliber spent shell casing.” As per the victim, she reportedly heard a gunshot while escaping her home. Police also found blood on the home’s floor and the sledgehammer Day allegedly used to attack his wife.
Dennis Alma Day is currently being held without bail at the Salt Lake County Jail. He is being investigated for attempted murder, aggravated assault, and felony discharge of a firearm.