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WEST VALLEY CITY — A West Valley man was charged Tuesday with violently pushing his elderly grandfather to the ground — almost by jumping on top of him — and causing a fatal head injury.
Jason Ryan Northrup, 35, of West Valley City, is charged in 3rd District Court with manslaughter, a second-degree felony.
On June 12, emergency crews were called to 3036 W. 2960 South where they found 81-year-old Sherral Northrup on a brick floor in front of a shed with a traumatic brain injury, according to charging documents. Sherral Northrup was taken to a local hospital but died less than three hours later.
Jason Northup told West Valley police, "I killed my grandpa," the charges state.
He said he had been living with his grandfather for a few months, and the two had been arguing over the past week. Family members said the two had been fighting "over the living condition," according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.
That morning, the argument allegedly became heated. Police say Jason Northrup originally told them that the two "went at each other" and that he stumbled and fell on Sherral Northrup. But later, he said he "supermanned on him," according to the charges.
Home surveillance video shows Jason Northrup exiting the shed, placing his hands on Sherral Northrup's shoulders, and "violently" shoving him to the ground, the charge state.
An autopsy determined Sherral Northrup suffered skull fractures and brain hemorrhages, according to court documents.
Prosecutors have requested Jason Northrup be held on $200,000 bail.
