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OAKLEY, Summit County — A Summit County man is accused of trying to kill his wife and then fleeing to Montana, where he was arrested.
Kevin D. Wilde, 63, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault, first-degree felonies; aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, a second-degree felony; and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. A no-bail warrant was issued, and he was arrested by police in Montana about 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to police.
According to charging documents, on Monday, after his 73-year-old wife refused his sexual advances, Wilde pushed her down a flight of stairs and strangled her.
"After he stopped strangling her and let her up off the ground, she found a crescent wrench and told him he needed to leave. Kevin gained control of the wrench and began striking her on (the) head and face. She fell to her side on the stairs while he continued to strike her," the charges state. "He stopped momentarily and went upstairs but returned and continued to strike her on the head and face with the wrench."
Prosecutors say this happened about five more times.
"(The woman) believed he was trying to kill her and that she was going to die. She tried to remain motionless during the assaults hoping he wouldn't return, but he continued to return and strike her until she believed he thought she was dead," the charges state.
After Wilde left the home and took his the woman's cellphone with him, police say the woman was able to summon help using Facebook Messenger.
She was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital in Salt Lake City to be treated for several facial fractures and deep cuts, according to the charges.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday stated that Wilde got a head start on them by several hours.
"Investigators used bank transaction information and license plate recognition technology to help locate the suspect. Law enforcement agencies across Utah and surrounding states were asked to be on the lookout for the suspect and suspect vehicle," the sheriff's office stated.
Tuesday morning, investigators learned that Wilde had likely traveled through Idaho and was headed to Montana. By mid-morning, Wilde had been taken into custody after allegedly trying to flee from officers with the Montana Highway Patrol, according to the sheriff's office.
Domestic violence resources
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah's confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
- Utah's statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
