A Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray is pushing for the death penalty in the case of Michael Aaron Jayne, the man who reportedly killed Sgt. Bill Hooser earlier this year. 

Our news partners at ABC 4 Utah provided more information in an article, written by Trevor Myers, covering the development. 

Myers said, “Michael Aaron Jayne — who was arrested after hitting Sgt. Hooser with a semi-truck — is facing an aggravated murder charge for the death of Sgt. Hooser. He is now facing the death penalty in connection to the case. Court documents say the family of Sgt. Hooser was consulted before the decision was made to seek the death penalty in the case. The decision to seek the death penalty was “supported by the evidence and the interests of justice,” documents said.” 

Despite the push for the death penalty, it’s up to the jury to decide what Jayne’s fate is once he makes it through the courts. 

The death of Sgt. Bill Hooser made waves in May due to the tragic nature of the case, as well as the reported brutality shown by Jayne. Here’s what we published earlier at the time of the crime. 

Man Accused of Killing Santaquin Officer Has History of Violence  

Michael Aaron Jayne, 42, the man who was arrested after he reportedly struck and killed a police officer with a semi-truck on May 5, has a criminal history regarding violence against police officers.  

Jayne committed a similar act in 2009 when he attempted to kill two police officers in Oregon by ramming a vehicle into two police cruisers. He was also charged in California for assaulting a correctional officer. It’s not uncommon for Jayne to engage in high-speed car chases with authorities as he also has a history of such acts. 

Jayne has been charged with the murder of Sgt. Bill Hooser on the morning of
May 5, and a police car in Santaquin has been designated as a temporary memorial for the officer. A GoFundMe page for the family of Sgt. Hooser has been established with over $80,000 donated at the time of writing.   

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