LOGAN — A 29-year-old Wellsville man has confessed to physically harming a woman during a domestic dispute. Eric Michael Hall has been in the Cache County Jail since being arrested in October.
Hall appeared Wednesday morning in 1st District Court for a pretrial conference. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and kidnapping, both second-degree felonies; and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, a third-degree felony.
On Oct. 2, Cache County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a Wellsville home on reports of a verbal domestic dispute in progress. As they approached the residence, they heard Hall say something about choking another person.
Deputies knocked on the door and rang the doorbell but no one answered. As they looked into the window, they could see a female with severe head injuries that was bleeding profusely.
Hall was sitting on a couch next to the victim. He appeared to be holding the woman down, prompting the deputy to draw their firearm and point it toward the defendant, while ordering him to come to the door.
Hall complied and let deputies inside. He was placed in handcuffs and taken into custody.
Deputies reported the victim was covered in blood and was bleeding from multiple head injuries. Her eyes were swollen almost completely shut. She also appeared to have a broken nose, multiple cuts on her face and marks on her throat, consistent with someone who has been strangled, according to the affidavit.
Paramedics transported the woman to the hospital.
Deputies described a trail of blood through parts of the house. There was blood splatter on the walls and furniture, and a pool of blood on the floor.
The victim told deputies that she and Hall had been drinking earlier in the evening. Later, the two got into a verbal altercation that turned physical.
During Wednesday’s court hearing, defense attorney Ryan Holdaway explained how prosecutors dismissed six remaining charges in exchange for Hall’s guilty plea.
Hall remains in jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 26 and could face up to 15 years in prison.
It takes a big man to beat the woman that you are supposed to love. What a tool!
…of course the prosecutor goes easy when he gets a plea deal
I’m curious how a potential 15 year sentence is “going easy”? That seems fitting for the crime that was committed, but I’d be interested to hear your perspective.