A 33-year-old West Valley man is behind bars after police say a Christmas Eve attack near a neighborhood Speedway gas station left another man with a shattered jaw and other serious injuries.
Officers arrested Neti Kuki Huavi Jr. this week in connection with the December 24 assault, which investigators say sent a 26-year-old man to the hospital with multiple mandible fractures, a broken rib, and a facial laceration so severe that doctors had to wire the victim’s jaw shut. Police say the arrest followed an investigation that leaned heavily on surveillance video and witness identification.
The disturbance reportedly started near 4150 South and 4080 West, then moved a few blocks to the Speedway, according to Fox13Now. When officers later checked Huavi’s apartment complex, they say they found a man covered in blood, a vehicle with a blood smear on it, and a nearby rock that appeared to have blood on it as well.
The victim first tried to pass off his injuries as the result of a fall down the stairs, police say. That account did not hold up for long, and he later told officers he had, in fact, been assaulted.
Legal stakes for aggravated assault in Utah
Under Utah law, aggravated assault that causes serious bodily injury is treated far more harshly than a simple assault charge. State statute defines “serious bodily injury” to include protracted loss or impairment and other significant harm, and an aggravated assault that meets that threshold can carry higher felony penalties, according to the Utah Code.
What detectives say tied Huavi to the scene
Detectives went back to the Speedway and pulled surveillance footage that they say showed a person in a red top, dark green pants, and white tennis shoes, matching the clothing the victim later described. Investigators then used a photo lineup, and the victim identified Huavi as the suspect, according to Fox13Now.
When officers interviewed Huavi a second time, he reportedly claimed he had walked away from the gas station and stayed with his sister. Detectives say the sister and her husband told a different story, and that they confirmed the alibi did not check out.
Huavi was arrestedon Tuesday on suspicion of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and police say the investigation is still active, according to Fox13Now.
West Valley City Police are asking anyone who has information or video from the area on December 24 to contact the department. Prosecutors will now review the case and decide whether to file formal charges, with future court records or press releases expected to shed more light on what happens next.
