Utah
Utah County police agencies help fill the shifts of Santaquin Police Department after officer death
SANTAQUIN — In the wake of the death of Sgt. Bill Hooser on Sunday, several Utah County police agencies are working to fill the shifts of the Santaquin Police Department and staff.
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office says it created a google document, so other agencies can sign in and fill any shifts needed so the Santaquin officers can get some much-needed time off.
Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith told KSL TV he believes they have most of the shifts covered for the entire department through Wednesday. Santaquin has 15 full-time officers and two civilian staff members.
“It’s hit us hard,” Smith said of Hooser’s death.
Several members of law enforcement said it’s just one way this Utah County law enforcement community works together.
“In Utah County, it’s one big jurisdiction. That’s how we look at it,” said Lone Peak Police Chief Brian Gwilliam. “It’s a big family, we’re all brothers and sisters.”
Smith said the teamwork isn’t just “lip service,” but rather an example of how the agencies collaborate daily.
“On a daily basis, we work as a team,” Smith said. “We stress that. We meet — the chiefs and myself — we meet once a month in person and there’s a weekly meeting.”
Working together can save lives
The collaboration, he says, can save lives.
“Criminals – they don’t care what city line they cross. They, you know, they go from city to city. And so we need to be working together to make sure that we’re providing the right service,” Smith said.
Officers from Lone Peak, Spanish Fork, Payson, Provo, The Sheriff’s Office, and even Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University came out to support Hooser and his family Monday. The comrade on display as a processional brought Hooser’s casket from Taylorsville back to Santaquin.
“(Sunday) was an incredibly chaotic day, a lot of things happen really quickly, a lot of information needed to be gathered and a lot of information needed to be put out. A lot of resources need to be collaborated to be able to identify this dangerous individual that had done something really, really horrible and making sure he didn’t get the opportunity to do that again,” said Utah Highway Patrol Col. Michael Rapich.
That law enforcement family, and those relationships not only stopped a suspect from hurting more people, they will also now help to buoy up a devastated family.
“(We’ll work to) just feel their pain and just kind of put our arms around them as one collective community and to show how much we love them,” Gwilliam said.
A Utah physician is warning that 21 data centers in various stages of development could significantly worsen air quality along the Wasatch Front.
Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said the planned data centers are cause for alarm. Each facility is expected to generate its own electricity using natural gas power plants.
While natural gas is cleaner than coal, Moench said it still produces nitrogen oxide, which contributes significantly to ozone, particulate formation, and smog.
“There’s no safe level of air pollution. All of it is harmful, even at the very lowest doses,” Moench said.
Moench said health advocates have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what the facilities could mean for public health in the region.
“There is a real legitimate concern on the part of any health advocates about what this impact will mean to the Wasatch Front and public health if all these data centers are built or even if just a few of them are, and that’s not to address the impact on the Great Salt Lake shrinking up and becoming a toxic dust bowl. That’s the next leg of this argument,” he said.
Moench also raised concerns about electronic waste. As computer chips and equipment become obsolete and are replaced, he said the volume of e-waste produced is something no one has yet addressed.
________
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
-
Atlanta, GA2 minutes agoFrom skid pad to train car: How the public safety training center is used
-
Minneapolis, MN8 minutes agoMinneapolis grocery store owner charged in $1 million food assistance fraud
-
Indianapolis, IN14 minutes agoThese vacant school district properties will become affordable housing
-
Pittsburg, PA20 minutes agoMan shot and killed in East Hills
-
Augusta, GA26 minutes agoAugusta factory to produce key component for drugs to fight malaria
-
Washington, D.C32 minutes agoDC weather: Sunny, mild Tuesday; showers return Wednesday
-
Cleveland, OH38 minutes agoGuardians Set Off Alarm Bells for Kwan Yesterday
-
Austin, TX44 minutes agoCancer case highlights gaps in Texas protections for women firefighters