MT. PLEASANT—A man who had allegedly threatened the lives of a Sanpete County sheriff’s deputy and two Utah Highway Patrol troopers was arrested last week following an exceptional show of force from a Utah County SWAT team, a police helicopter, the Highway Patrol, the Utah State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office and Mt. Pleasant police.
Mt. Pleasant police actually made the arrest of James Koyle, 44, outside an apartment at 272 W. Main. The apartment is on the west side of a commercial building. No one was injured in the confrontation.
According to Trooper Mike Alexander, acting public information officer for the Utah Department of Public Safety, the case started on March 20 when Koyle shot a firearm inside the Spring City home of his father, Howard Koyle.
Officers were dispatched to the scene and a chase ensued, but Koyle got away. A warrant was issued for his arrest for a parole violation.
Subsequently, Koyle apparently sent a text message threatening the lives of the officers. Alexander said the text referred to the deputy and one of the troopers by name.
The Messenger was not able to learn who Koyle sent the text to or what his connection was, if any, with the officers named. But according to Alexander, someone who read the text notified law enforcement.
When the lives of Utah Highway Patrol troopers are threatened, it is protocol for the Utah State Bureau of Investigation to get involved.
Later in the week, another tipster informed police of Koyle’s whereabouts. Because of what Alexander said was Koyle’s “known violent history,” the Highway Patrol called in the SWAT team and helicopter to assist.
Koyle is being held without bail at the Sanpete County Jail. He has previous criminal offenses, including a 2012 misdemeanor offense that is usually associated with assaulting a police officer, which occurred in Farmington.
A GoFundMe page for Howard Koyle was launched by his granddaughter, Sarah Koyle, on March 25, saying: “My grandfather was robbed of $3,000, and the person caused more than $10,000 in damages to his home and shop. He’s going through a really hard time. The person who did this is someone that he should have been able to trust most.”
