Man killed by South Jordan police had troubled past

Man killed by South Jordan police had troubled past

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SOUTH JORDAN — A man who was shot and killed by a South Jordan police officer on Saturday was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with taking a vehicle without permission.

The charge against Ty Elvin Worthington, 26, was the latest in a troubled history of mostly drug- and alcohol-related charges and convictions over the past several years. Worthington was released from the Salt Lake County Jail just four days before his confrontation with South Jordan police so he could attend a drug treatment facility, according to court records.

The arrest warrant was signed Nov. 19, but it was unclear why the criminal charge wasn't filed until Monday. Prosecutors said Tuesday they could not explain the delay.

On Saturday, police received a 911 call reporting that a man was trespassing at a home on the 11300 block of Brook-N-Lance Lane. However, that address is listed in court documents as Worthington's home address.

Details of the shooting

South Jordan police officer Sam Winkler could not say Tuesday why Worthington was considered a trespasser or whether he was actually living there at the time of the call.

Worthington had left the property by the time officers arrived. Police located him, however, about 45 minutes later. He was several properties away to the north of the house.

"The officer confronted Mr. Worthington in a horse corral and during the confrontation multiple shots were fired. A small caliber handgun was recovered near the deceased," according to a statement from the department.

The name of the officer who shot Worthington has not been released. Similar to the case of the Saratoga Springs officer who shot and killed Darrien Hunt, the South Jordan officer was wearing a body camera but did not have it turned on during the confrontation.


The officer confronted Mr. Worthington in a horse corral and during the confrontation multiple shots were fired. A small caliber handgun was recovered near the deceased.

–South Jordan PD statement


Winkler said his department currently only has three body cameras that they are experimenting with to determine which one they like best.

"This was considered a routine call where officers would not normally activate a camera system while conducting an area search. The officer encountered the subject and the situation rapidly escalated. The recording device was not activated," South Jordan police said in a statement.

Likewise in the Hunt case, Saratoga Springs police said they had only been experimenting with body cameras and the officer who was wearing one when he confronted Hunt was new and did not expect the incident to quickly turn into a violent episode.

Worthington's criminal history

On Monday, Worthington was charged with a third-degree felony for allegedly taking his roommate's vehicle while she was in church on Nov. 9 without her permission, and then getting into an accident, causing approximately $5,000 damage to her car. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail after that incident and was also booked on four warrants from previous cases, some for failure to appear in court, according to court records.

On Nov. 17, Worthington was convicted in another case on charges of attempted possession of a firearm by a restricted person and driving a car without an interlock device. That incident happened in September. According to charging documents, Worthington told police that he was a "drug user and trying to purchase heroin."

His September arrest came less than nine months after it was noted in court in another drug case that Worthington was finding success in treatment and that he was "clean and compliant" and on the "doing well" list.

On Nov. 18, a judge ordered Worthington be released from the Salt Lake County Jail to be transferred to an inpatient drug treatment facility, according to court documents.

Worthington was also charged with drug possession in 2012. Charging documents indicate that officers were called to 11370 S. Brook-N-Lance Lane where he passed out after consuming heroin. After attending drug treatment, the case was dismissed in January of 2014.

In 2013, Worthington was convicted of DUI. In September of this year, the court noted that he had completed felony drug court.

On a memorial page on Facebook for Worthington, friends said that a wake in his honor is scheduled for Saturday.

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Pat Reavy

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