Teen in bat attack may be charged as an adult

VERNAL — A teenage boy accused of hitting a man twice in the head with an aluminum baseball bat in January may face charges as an adult.

The 16-year-old appeared before a juvenile court judge Thursday and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Wednesday where 8th District Juvenile Court Judge Larry Steele will decide whether to retain jurisdiction over the case or transfer it to district court.

Uintah County prosecutors have filed a charge of attempted murder, a first-degree felony, against the teen, signaling their intent to have him tried as an adult. Minors are typically referred to juvenile court by way of petition.

The teen was with his 14-year-old brother and Juan Enrique Morales, 23, on Jan. 8 when the alleged assault took place. Morales is charged with attempted murder, tampering with evidence, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to court records, the trio told police they were at a Vernal convenience store when another vehicle full of men pulled up and began yelling obscenities at them. Investigators said Morales told one of the teens to retrieve an aluminum bat from the bed of his pickup truck.

When the other vehicle left the convenience store, police said Morales and the two teens followed it to a nearby business and confronted Richard Oldson. The 16-year-old used the bat to strike Oldson twice in the head, according to authorities.

The other teen told investigators that when his brother hit Oldson the second time it was "like someone shot him in the face, he just dropped and started twitching on the ground."

Oldson was flown to a Salt Lake hospital where he was treated for serious head injuries. He has since been released from the hospital.

Morales waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday and is due back in court Feb. 17. He remains in the Uintah County Jail. The 16-year-old is being held in the Split Mountain Youth Detention Center.

No charges have been filed against the 14-year-old.

E-MAIL: geoff@ubstandard.com