Opinion ID: 161699
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Assault of Nickilynn Avery and Walters's Arrest

Text: 4 On August 13, 1999, Salt Lake County Sheriff's deputy Gene Van Roosendaal responded to a domestic assault complaint in Kearns, Utah. Nickilynn Avery (Avery) reported to him that Walters had assaulted her in his camper, and that she had fled to a neighbor's house only after Walters fell asleep. Officers noticed that Avery had severe swelling and bruising on her arms, ear, face, and the top of her head, as well as swelling, bruising, and puncture wounds on her hands. Avery recounted that Walters had beaten her with his fists, and that the puncture wounds on her hands were made by the rings Walters wore, which had protruding metal ornaments. 5 Avery told officers that Walters had been driving an older model red-and-white pickup truck and was staying in a camper trailer parked next to his brother's house in Kearns. She warned the officers that Walters had a gun, was out of his mind, and was addicted to methamphetamine. 6 Officers found the truck and the camper trailer at the address Avery had given. The door to the trailer was open, allowing officers to see Walters sleeping inside. After attempting to wake him by shouting through the open door, two officers entered, physically woke Walters up, and placed him in handcuffs for officer safety. Deputy Van Roosendaal asked him about the gun, and Walters initially denied possessing it. Confronted with Avery's statement to the contrary, however, Walters admitted he had one under the front seat of the pickup truck. The officers found it a loaded, Ruger P89 9 mm semiautomatic handgun as well as three other 9 mm magazines in the cab of the truck. 1 Officers then arrested Walters for committing two state-law crimes: assault with intent to commit serious bodily injury and carrying a concealed, loaded firearm in a vehicle. 2 7