Former Cedar City police officer who survived 2007 shooting faces insurance fraud charge

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CEDAR CITY — An officer who survived a shooting in 2007 and recently left the Cedar City Police Department is now accused of workers' compensation fraud, according to charges filed in 5th District Court.

Jason Steven Thomas, 41, is charged with fraudulently obtaining workers' compensation insurance, a third-degree felony, and attempted theft by deception, a class C misdemeanor. The case was filed by the Beaver County Attorney's Office on July 14.

Cedar City officials confirmed Wednesday that Thomas parted ways with the city's police department June 30, though they didn't elaborate on whether he was fired, resigned, retired or left the department in some other way.

"We would like to thank officer Thomas for all of the years of public service he dedicated to our community," city officials said in a prepared statement Wednesday. "We are aware of the current allegations, and the Cedar City mayor, council and city staff have no further comment at this time."

Charges don't specify the circumstances of the accusations against Thomas. The alleged insurance fraud netted him somewhere between $1,000 and $5,000, and his alleged attempted theft involved less than $500, according to court documents.

Charges say the alleged offenses occurred Oct. 24, 2013, in Iron County. The initial filing against Thomas alleged they occurred between that date and March 3 of this year, but that detail was changed in an amended document.

Attempts to reach Beaver County prosecutors Wednesday for further details about the allegations were unsuccessful.

Thomas was shot Jan. 5, 2007, after pulling over to assist the driver of a pickup truck whose vehicle had become stuck in a snow bank on the wrong side of the road. That man, Bryan Featherhat, shot Thomas in the chest after the officer had asked for identification.

That bullet hit Thomas' protective vest, but Featherhat shot him again in the side where he wasn't shielded. Thomas dove behind a snowbank as Featherhat continued to shoot. Featherhat then fled the scene.

Featherhat, now 40, was convicted in 2008 of attempted aggravated murder and is currently serving his sentence in the Central Utah Correctional Facility.

In an interview in 2014, Thomas said the shooting left him with a bruised lung, broken ribs and penetration injuries from shotgun pellets.

On Aug. 18, 5th District Judge Keith Barnes recused himself from the case against Thomas, saying in court documents that he "has a potential conflict with the case." Jeffrey Wilcox, another 5th District judge, is now overseeing the case.

Thomas was issued a summons in the case against him; no arrest warrant was issued. The next proceeding in his case is scheduled for Sept. 6.

Thomas has no prior criminal history in Utah, according to court records.