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FARMINGTON — A Bountiful man is facing criminal charges after police say a domestic violence incident he was involved in led to a standoff with police and the man later biting an officer.
Max Gorishek Morgan, 77, was charged Tuesday with assault by a prisoner and damaging a jail, both third-degree felonies; domestic violence assault, a class A misdemeanor; domestic violence assault and interference with an arresting officer, both class B misdemeanors; and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.
On Feb. 17, charging documents say a woman called police to report a domestic assault by her boyfriend, and police learned there were guns in the home. When officers arrived, they found broken property in the home and injuries to the woman, which they believe were caused by Morgan.
Charges say Morgan "became angry with police" and barricaded himself inside the home. He then told police, "I'm going to get a shotgun. When I come out, you guys better duck," charging documents say.
After a standoff with police, charges say officers took Morgan "by surprise on his front porch" and arrested him.
When Morgan was placed in the back of a police car, a Bountiful police officer offered to move his handcuffs from behind his back to his frontside to make him more comfortable, charges say. While the officer was moving the handcuffs, Morgan allegedly "took ahold of both of (the officer's) wrists, latched onto (the officer's) left arm with his mouth, and bit down forcefully," charging documents say.
While inside the police car, police also allege that Morgan damaged a door latch while in the backseat, the charging documents say.
The woman who called police later told investigators that a day before the standoff, Morgan assaulted her by biting her left bicep, hair braids and her left thigh, which left bite marks and "bloody puncture wounds on her body," charging documents say. The alleged assault took place after the woman confronted Morgan about drinking alcohol, according to charging documents.
The woman who called police also provided videos to investigators that charges say showed Morgan attacking her on the day of the standoff. The videos allegedly showed Morgan verbally attacking the woman and chasing her through the home, as well as him throwing an item and tackling the woman to the ground, hitting her, biting her and squeezing her arms as he allegedly tried to take her cellphone.
Charging documents also include a recommendation to hold Morgan in jail without bail, citing the alleged domestic abuse, his alleged willingness to shoot a gun at police, and the presence of guns in his home. Davis County Jail's booking information and court records indicate Morgan is being held in the jail on a no-bail warrant.
Online court records show Morgan had his initial appearance in Farmington's 2nd District Court on Friday morning. He does not have an attorney listed in online court records; and as of Friday afternoon, he has yet to have additional court dates scheduled.
