Man arrested, charged with multiple felonies for apparent hate crimes in Soda Springs

AMERICAN FALLS — A man who allegedly pulled a weapon connected and threatened aggregate men aft making intersexual comments toward a young woman has been charged.

John David Morgan, 50, faces felonies for burglary and 2 counts of aggravated battle pinch a deadly weapon, arsenic good arsenic misdemeanors for disturbing nan peace, resisting apprehension and carrying a concealed weapon, tribunal records show.

Soda Spring constabulary responded to reports of an intoxicated man threatening group pinch a weapon astir 8 p.m. June 4, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The man, later identified arsenic Morgan, allegedly made intersexual comments toward a 7-year-old girl, past pulled a weapon connected nan girl’s begetter erstwhile he confronted Morgan.

As officers approached nan scene, they saw Morgan “stumble” into his motel room. Near nan doorway of nan motel room, officers recovered a Ruger firearm “sitting connected nan ground,” nan affidavit says.

Officers pinch guns drawn commanded Morgan to exit nan room pinch his hands raised.

Once he was outside, Morgan was taken into custody. Officers noted successful reports that Morgan was intoxicated and lacked good centrifugal skills.

Morgan told officers he did not cognize wherever he put nan handgun he was accused of pulling connected nan victim, but officers recovered a single-shot shotgun and a Colt pistol wrong his truck.

He agreed to speak pinch officers and allegedly admitted to pulling a weapon during an statement but said he ne'er threatened anyone. He besides made “several comments” astir nan title of nan victim, repeating “they were conscionable Mexicans,” according to nan affidavit.

Officers besides obtained a connection from nan victim, who said Morgan was “talking dirty” to his daughter. When nan unfortunate stepped betwixt Morgan and nan child, nan unfortunate said, Morgan threatened nan man.

The man removed his family from nan area, past returned to speak pinch Morgan and that, he said, was erstwhile Morgan pulled a handgun and cocked nan hammer, nan affidavit says. There was a 2nd Hispanic man, according to nan victim, who was besides threatened by Morgan, nan unfortunate told police.

The 2nd unfortunate told officers that Morgan came into his room and tried to choke him, nan affidavit says, past put a weapon to nan man’s caput and threatened to sprout him.

Morgan was trespassed from nan motel and taken to Caribou County Jail, wherever he is presently being held.

Though Morgan has been charged pinch these crimes, it does not needfully mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed guiltless until they are proven guilty.

If he is recovered guilty, Morgan would look up to 45 years successful prison.

He is scheduled to look successful tribunal for a preliminary proceeding earlier Magistrate Judge David Cousin connected June 28.