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ST. GEORGE — A St. George man was charged Friday with trying to kill his 95-year-old mother.
Steven Sweat, 72, is charged in 5th District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, a second-degree felony; obstruction of justice and two counts of forgery, third-degree felonies; aggravated cruelty to animals and attempted possession of a firearm by a restricted person, class A misdemeanors; and two counts of drug possession, a class B misdemeanor.
The investigation began just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday when police were called to a residence where an elderly woman was banging on the front door of a neighbor's house screaming for help. The woman, Sweat's mother, claimed her son was trying to kill her, according to a police booking affidavit.
As officers were en route, emergency dispatchers were notified that Sweat now had a knife, the affidavit states. Officers said they arrived to find Sweat "yelling and screaming" on the front porch and his mother trying to calm him down.
Sweat was taken into custody and police reported finding a knife with a 10-inch blade under a bush in the carport area.
When questioned by detectives, Sweat said he had grabbed his mother by the neck and "attempted to strangle her to death" before he let go and she ran out the door, the affidavit states. Police say he also told them he grabbed his Chihuahua and attempted to strangle the dog, but the dog "was too strong and fought back" so he let it go.
Officers who searched Sweat's room found marijuana and numerous counterfeit $100 and $20 bills that Sweat "had been spending … at businesses around St. George," according to the affidavit.
