Car aficionados rally for Grantsville man

TOOELE — Classic-car aficionados along the Wasatch Front rolled into Tooele on Monday afternoon to support one of their own.

About 50 people gathered outside Tooele County's new courts complex in a show of support for Dennis McBride, who was convicted in March of stealing a campaign sign during Grantsville's 2005 mayoral election.

With a red 1939 Chevy Coupe, a '51 blue Mercury and 20 other classic cars as a backdrop, the group of street-rodders held signs supporting McBride and calling for an investigation into corruption in Grantsville.

Supporters say McBride is being unfairly targeted by city officials, prosecutors and police. They contend the allegations of theft were trumped up by Grantsville officials who want to condemn the land occupied by McBride's auto-wrecking yard at 410 S. Center.

"I'm here to support Dennis and see if we can get something done about the crooks in Grantsville," said Blaine Johnson. "The folks in Grantsville seem to think if they get him in jail, they can go in and clean out his property."

People are out to get McBride, supporters say, over a federal racketeering lawsuit he filed in October 2005 against the city, its police department, his ex-wife and local bankers. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit.

"This is the most unjust thing I've ever heard of in my life," said Ron Russell of Salt Lake City. "This is all vindictive."

McBride, 63, was found guilty March 26 of misdemeanor theft over the campaign-sign incident, in which witnesses said he removed one of Grantsville Mayor Byron Anderson's campaign signs. The key witness in the case was the mayor's daughter-in-law.

Calls to Mayor Anderson for comment Monday were not returned.

Tooele Valley Justice Court Judge William Pitt sentenced McBride to a suspended six-month jail sentence and nine months of probation. McBride was also ordered to pay $587 in fines and $300 in court-appointed attorney's fees. A review hearing in the case is set for Monday.

McBride, who managed Craig Anderson's 2005 campaign for mayor against Byron Anderson, denies stealing or taking down any of the competition's signs.

"I'm hoping we embarrass the Tooele County judicial system to the point they'll drop the charges against me," McBride said at the rally.

Grantsville City Attorney Ron Elton said claims by McBride and his supporters that the city is seeking to take McBride's property by eminent domain are "completely inaccurate."