Man sentenced to probation for assault at Salt Lake airport

SALT LAKE CITY — A California man was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to assaulting a random man at the Salt Lake City International Airport and attempting to disarm a police officer.

Scott Ryan Hollis, 29, pleaded guilty in August to attempting to disarm a police officer of a firearm and aggravated assault, third-degree felonies.

Third District Judge Linda Jones sentenced Hollis on Friday to two prison terms of zero to five years, one for each charge, but suspended those terms in favor of 36 months of probation.

Salt Lake police said Hollis appeared to be under the influence on June 9 when he attacked random people at the airport.

He approached a 20-year-old man playing saxophone and punched him in the face, and shortly afterward grabbed a 17-year-old boy from behind and held something sharp to his neck, according to charging documents.

Two people then grabbed Hollis and told the teenager to run.

Salt Lake police officers at the airport noticed a physical fight and told Hollis to stop. Police said that when they tried to arrest Hollis he grabbed an officer's handgun and later grabbed an officer's Taser.

Hollis told officers he was suicidal and needed help, according to court documents.

"We are grateful no one was seriously injured in this incident in one of the most heavily trafficked parts of Salt Lake City. We thank the witnesses willing to help to stop the violence and quickly identify the defendant to law enforcement," Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement.

Hollis accepted a plea deal that reduced one charge from disarming a police officer, a first-degree felony, to attempting to disarm a police officer, a third-degree felony, and dismissed a second charge of disarming a police officer of a Taser, a third-degree felony, along with assault and interfering with a peace officer, both class B misdemeanors.

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