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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Susan Hunt, whose son Darrien Hunt was shot and killed by Saratoga Springs police in September, pleaded not guilty Friday to four misdemeanor criminal charges stemming from a confrontation with officers from the same department.
With tears streaming down her face, she sat in the courtroom surrounded by family and friends waiting to be arraigned at the Saratoga Springs Justice Court.
Susan Hunt, 51, was charged Nov. 25 with interfering with an arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor; driving on a denied license, a class C misdemeanor; failing to disperse, a class C misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, an infraction.
Her son was shot and killed by two Saratoga Springs police officers on Sept. 10, 2014. She reportedly approached two other officers who were conducting a routine traffic stop on Oct. 19. Attorney Robert Sykes said Hunt stopped and "apparently got into it" with the officers.
A pretrial conference was scheduled for March 20 at 9 a.m. Hunt and her attorney declined comment after Friday's hearing.
Darrien Hunt was shot six times by Saratoga Springs Cpl. Matt Schauerhamer and officer Nicholas Judson on Sept. 10 after he allegedly lunged at officers with a katana sword and then ran away. The Utah County Attorney's Office determined that the shooting was legally justified because the officers said they feared he could have potentially hurt someone else.
The Hunt family has filed a $2 million civil rights lawsuit against the officers and the city, claiming he was unnecessarily killed as he ran away from police.
