A Utah resident is facing serious allegations after reportedly attempting to break his wife’s neck, just after being released from jail where he was held for allegedly stabbing her with scissors.
Aaron Ray Thomas is now charged with attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and aggravated kidnapping linked to this latest purported assault on his wife, as reported by ABC 4.
Aaron Thomas Accused of Choking Wife, “Violently Twisting” Neck
The investigation was prompted on May 7 when a desperate call was made to 911 by a woman who was “screaming and yelling.” She informed the dispatcher that her husband had “choked her and tried snapping her neck,” as detailed in an affidavit accessed by KSL.
Officers from the Grantsville City Police Department responded to the scene and found the woman in a state of hysteria. She relayed to them that her husband had attempted to kill her, according to the court records.
The woman recounted to the police that Thomas allegedly put one hand under her chin and the other behind her head, proceeding to “violently twist it,” as stated in the court documents obtained by ABC 4.
“I hope you die,” he allegedly told her, before asking, “Why won’t you die?”
Police said Thomas then tried to strangle his wife, but she was able to break free of his grasp. She got into her car to flee, but Thomas allegedly “jumped” behind the vehicle to stop her, according to the affidavit.
Police noted that the victim had red marks on her neck consistent with being strangled.
She told police that she was in fear for her life during the incident.
Aaron Thomas Arrested in March For Allegedly Stabbing Wife With Scissors
The alleged attack took place after Thomas “just got out of jail after violating a protective order” against him, per the court records.
The 27-year-old was arrested in March for allegedly stabbing his wife with scissors, according to an earlier report from ABC 4.
In that incident, witnesses reported seeing a man holding and hitting a woman inside a vehicle, according to court records obtained by the outlet. The victim—later identified as Thomas’ wife—told police that the pair had gotten into an argument and he stabbed her in the hand with scissors after she’d insulted him, then stabbed himself twice in the arm, according to the court documents. Thomas allegedly fled the scene, but was later located by police.
Thomas denied hitting or punching his wife, authorities said.
Aaron Thomas Has Prior Domestic Violence Arrests, Police Say
Police said the latest arrest is part of an ongoing pattern. He’s had 10 prior domestic violence incidents and been arrested six different times, according to the affidavit also obtained by KUTV.
“Aaron has called in 11 different times for a welfare check to be conducted on the victim,” officers alleged in the court records. “With these welfare checks, Aaron is always seeking to locate the victim after some sort of unreported domestic incident. Several times the victim has been contacted by officers and she tells them that she does not want him to know where she is due to his violent tendencies.”
Thomas is currently being held at the Tooele County Jail without bond, according to jail records reviewed by Oxygen. It’s unclear whether he has retained an attorney.