Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man who shot and killed a longboarder during an argument at a busy intersection two years ago was sentenced to prison Friday during an emotionally-charged court hearing.
Some siblings of Maluolefale Toala, who died of a gunshot wound to the chest, told a shackeled Aaron Jay Pierce, 26, that he is a coward who deserves the longest possible prison term.
"The last time you saw courage was when my brother looked you in the eyes before you killed him," said his brother Siolo Toala.
Third District Judge Vernice Trease ordered Pierce to serve at least one and up to 15 years in prison, the maximum sentence available for his conviction of manslaughter, a second-degree felony.
“When a life is taken, the punishment needs to fit the crime," Trease said.
Defense attorney Clifford Venable had asked Trease to impose a year in jail, saying a prison term was "very possibly a sentence to death." He said his client was in school and helped his mom to pay bills before the shooting.
Just before he was sentenced, Pierce apologized and said, "I felt that I did what I had to do and I truly regret it."
Police say Pierce and his brother were driving a pickup around 2 p.m. on May 28, 2016, when they passed Toala riding his longboard. Pierce's brother made a "yelping" noise as they drove by.
The vehicle stopped at a red light at the intersection of 3500 South and 5600 West. Toala caught up with the vehicle and started yelling at Pierce and his brother, according to charging documents. Pierce then got out of the truck and pulled a gun.
Pierce pointed the gun at Toala, and as the argument escalated, Toala was shot once in the chest, according to police. He died at the scene. At the time of the shooting the area was crowded with bystanders.
Pierce was originally charged with murder, but a jury in October decided he could have reasonably fired at Tuola in self-defense and found him guilty of a lesser crime of manslaughter.
