Man pleads guilty in shooting of Vernal police officer

VERNAL — A Vernal man charged with shooting a police officer in the leg during a domestic-violence incident Halloween night has pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted aggravated murder.

In addition to admitting to the two first-degree felony charges, Jesus E. Martinez also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, and discharge of a firearm into a home, a third-degree felony. Prosecutors agreed to ask 8th District Judge A. Lynn Payne to dismiss the remaining five felony charges against Martinez, 25, in exchange for his plea.

Officers were called to 150 Dale Ave. on Oct. 31 after a passer-by spotted a man peering through the basement windows of a home. When the first officer drove past the home about 10:20 p.m., witnesses said, the man looking in the windows concealed himself behind a vehicle.

Vernal police officer Dustin Gray was the second officer to arrive. As he approached the vehicle where the man was hiding, Gray recognized the man as Martinez — someone he'd previously arrested. Gray tried to move around the vehicle, but Martinez circled it, then stood and fired four shots at the officer, hitting him once in the thigh, police said.

After Gray made his way behind another vehicle for cover, police say, Martinez walked over to the home and fired at least eight shots through a window into the basement living room. Police say he jumped through the window and attacked the homeowner, who was dating and living with Martinez's ex-girlfriend.

Several additional officers arrived shortly after Gray was shot, and they arrested Martinez. One of those officers, David K. Harris, allegedly assaulted Martinez once he was in police custody.

Harris was fired from his job as a sergeant with the Vernal Police Department following an internal affairs investigation of the incident. He has been charged by the Utah Attorney General's Office with aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. Harris is due in court June 30 for a pretrial conference.

Gray recovered from the gunshot wound and returned to duty.

Martinez, who has been in jail since the shooting, is scheduled to be sentenced June 22.

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