37 new charges for Midvale man involved in April SWAT standoff

37 new charges for Midvale man involved in April SWAT standoff


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MIDVALE — A Midvale man who faces 37 new charges related to a standoff with a SWAT team in April was arrested over the weekend.

Christopher John Dougherty, 45, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Friday. Dougherty was charged Sept. 10 with 25 felonies and 12 misdemeanors in 3rd District Court in connection with a standoff at his house several months ago.

His charges included 25 counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, all third-degree felonies, after authorities said they found 25 guns and rifles in his residence at 7614 S. 1000 East. Investigators also found more than 100 boxes of ammunition, more than 100 knives and swords, as well as evidence "of a vast marijuana cultivation," according to charging documents.

On April 27, police were called to Dougherty's house by someone who observed him standing on the sidewalk, apparently intoxicated, holding a rifle, and "shooting at cars as they drove past him," the charges state. He allegedly fired at least five shots.

When officers arrived, they reported hearing at least two shots fired from the man's backyard, and observed him walking in the house "carrying an assault rifle." The man refused to come out of his house and a SWAT team was called. Dougherty surrendered without further incident after several hours.


"Why are you arresting me, because I'm drunk?" — John Dougherty

When he was in custody, Dougherty asked an officer, "Why are you arresting me, because I'm drunk?" according to the charges.

Dougherty was originally charged in 3rd District Court on May 3. But on June 20, the case was dismissed when the state was not ready to proceed, court records indicate. The case was re-filed on Sept. 10.

Dougherty was arrested on a $100,000 warrant. His misdemeanor charges include reckless endangerment, carrying a weapon while intoxicated, unlawfully firing a weapon and interferiing with his arrest.

Outside of minor traffic violations, Dougherty does not have any other criminal background in Utah, according to court records. Email: preavy@deseretnews.com Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam

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