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FREMONT, Wayne County — A Wayne County man accused of choking his uncle to death when he was 17 has been ordered to face the charges as an adult.
Dallas Hamilton, now 18, is charged with manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and failing to report the finding of a dead human body, a class B misdemeanor, in the death of his uncle, Jerimiah Randall James, 32. Sixth District Juvenile Judge Paul Lyman certified Hamilton to face the charges as an adult Tuesday.
"The underlying alleged offenses are very serious, encompassing behavior that caused the death of another human being. The juvenile has just turned 18 and the maximum time he would be isolated from the community is slightly less than three years. Due to the juvenile's past repeated failures to complete ordered treatment programs, his belief that he doesn't need treatment and his propensity to fail to complete treatment programs by running away, it appears that treatment may be needed that is longer than three years, especially if he runs or refuses to cooperate," Lyman wrote in his decision.
Hamilton will be moved to Sevier County Jail, Utah State Courts spokesman Geoffrey Fattah said. No court hearings in the case had been scheduled as of Wednesday.
Police say James died of strangulation following an alcohol-fueled family fight.
Police say Hamilton, James and another relative were arguing at their home, 34 S. 300 West in Fremont, when the confrontation became violent. The teen hit James in the head with an MP3 player and then choked him to the point of unconsciousness, according to the warrant.
The incident wasn't reported, however, until about 10:30 a.m. the next day when police were notified and found James' body on the living room floor. Prosecutors say Hamilton "intentionally and unlawfully failed to report the finding of a dead human body to a local law enforcement agency."
Hamilton is also facing charges of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, in an unrelated case, which remains in 3rd District Juvenile Court.
In that case, police say Hamilton was with a 14-year-old girl in a West Jordan home in October 2014 when he locked a bedroom door, held the girl down while he stripped her and tried to rape her. The girl was able to "kick (him) off of her and run out of the room," charging documents state.
A hearing in that case is scheduled for March 3.
