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SANDY — A Sandy man was charged Monday with multiple felonies accusing him of shooting at police officers, hitting one officer in the neck, as they entered his apartment to serve a search warrant.
Sean DeJesus Darragh, 51, is charged in 3rd District Court with discharge of a firearm causing serious injury and two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, both first-degree felonies; two counts of theft by receiving stolen property, a second-degree felony; and two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.
On Sept, 8, the Sandy police SWAT team was serving a search warrant on Darragh's apartment, 222 W. Harrison Street (8990 South), as part of a drug investigation.
Sandy Police Sgt. Greg Moffitt, who was holding a protective shield, was one of the first to enter the apartment after officers breached the door, according to charging documents.
"Numerous officers shouted, 'Police serving a search warrant!'" according to charging documents.
The other officer who entered with Moffitt "observed, from a convex mirror mounted across from the entryway, Darragh quickly draw a firearm from his holster and shoot in the direction of SWAT officers. Sgt. Moffitt was hit by Darragh's fire in the right forearm and right cheek of his face. The bullet then lodged in Sgt. Moffitt's neck," the charges state.
Moffitt fell to the ground and was pulled out by others officers and taken to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery "to remove the bullet that had lodged within a fraction of an inch of his artery," according to the charges.
Darragh was also injured when police returned fire. He was treated at a local hospital and moved into the Salt Lake County Jail a week later on Sept. 15.
Police reported finding two stolen guns, drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the apartment.
Prosecutors have requested that Darragh be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without bail pending trial, noting that even though he was released from probation just eight weeks earlier, he was known by others to deal drugs and almost always be armed.
"(Darragh's) continued distribution of controlled substances in a residential neighborhood demonstrates his lack of rehabilitation while on probation for the same charge and continued risk to the safety and welfare of the community," charging documents state. "(Darragh) was known to carry a firearm at all times while conducting drug transactions. When SWAT officers entered his residence, (he) immediately drew a firearm from his holster and fired at the officers, striking Sgt. Moffitt."
