Arrest warrant issued for ex-Ute defensive lineman

Arrest warrant issued for ex-Ute defensive lineman


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SALT LAKE CITY — A third district judge issued a warrant for the arrest of an ex-University of Utah football player after he failed to show up for a sentencing hearing Monday.

Koliniasi "Niasi" Mona Leota, 24, a former defensive lineman for the Utes, was scheduled to be sentenced on charges of domestic violence in the presence of a child, a third-degree felony that carries a maximum of five years in prison.

The charge stemmed from a Feb. 17 incident at Leota's Salt Lake apartment, when Leota became angry and punched his wife in the head and face, according to charging documents.

While she was in the bathroom cleaning up, the 6-foot 4-inch, 278-pound man hit her in the head with a curling iron, then wrapped the iron's cords around his hands and tried to strangle her. He then allegedly ripped a towel bar from the wall, hit her in the head with it and tried to stab her in the throat with the broken end.

When that didn't work he tried to electrocute her by filling the bathtub with water and tossing in the curling iron, the documents state.

The woman told police that each time she tried to run out the door, Leota would grab her by the hair and drag her back inside. Prosecutors said the couple's 2-year-old child was present during the assault.

Leota was kicked off the team after the incident. "We do not tolerate this kind of behavior," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement last February. Leota appeared in 10 games for the Utes in 2012 and made six tackles.

Leota pleaded guilty to the domestic violence charge in exchange for the court dropping six other charges, including felony aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.

His sentencing absence Monday wasn't the first time Leota had missed a court date. He failed to show for an earlier court date in June, and also failed to report to a meeting with the Adult Probation and Parole board in July, prompting Third District Judge Randall Skanchy to finally issue the arrest warrant.

Bail has been set at $25,000 to prevent Leota from fleeing once he is found.

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