Yearslong dispute culminates with man being run over by pickup, charges state

MIDVALE — A man who police say has had an ongoing dispute with another man for several years is now accused of attempting to kill the man by allegedly running him over with his pickup truck.

Esteban Manuel Martinez Perez, 42, of West Valley City, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony, or in the alternative aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, a second-degree felony; leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury, a third-degree felony; and, drug possession, a class A misdemeanor.

On July 12, a pickup truck drove through a fence at the Brighton Place Apartments, 135 W. Plum Tree Lane, and ran over a 37-year-old man on the other side, according to charging documents. The man was found "lying in the gutter" with "tire marks across (his) mid-section" and was "breathing but not conscious," the charges state.

Charging documents list 21 different injuries suffered by the man, including multiple fractures to his ribs, spine, shoulder, leg, eye and sternum, as well as blood loss and other internal injuries.

Unified police investigating the incident learned that Perez's ex-wife lives at the apartment complex and that she also previously dated the victim, the charges state. Perez told police that the victim caused problems with his marriage when he was still with his wife, according to the charges. Perez still has regular contact with his ex-wife today.

On July 12, Perez went to visit his former wife. He knocked on the door and waited with no reply, the charges state. That's when he saw the victim jump off her balcony, according to the charges.

Perez followed him in his truck and admitted "he was mad because of all the circumstances involving (the victim) and pushed on the gas and ran through the fence where (the victim) was at. After running through the fence, he did not see (the victim) and drove off," the charges state.

He later returned to the apartment complex and once he saw the ambulance and numerous police vehicles, he was afraid that he had killed the other man, according to the charges.

"Esteban stated that he wasn't trying to kill (the man), but he knew that he could have injured him as he drove through the fence. He just wanted (the man) to leave," a police affidavit states.

Police also found Perez was in possession of methamphetamine when he was arrested.

Related topics