Woman accused of assaulting Orem Mayor could face prison time
Sep 25, 2023, 6:30 PM
FILE: An Orem police vehicle is pictured in Orem on Friday Feb. 19, 2021. Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
OREM, Utah — The daughter of a Daily Herald reporter who is accused of assaulting the Orem Mayor has been released from jail. However, she is still facing charges.
Linnea Pugmire, 31, allegedly spit on and slapped Orem Mayor David Young after a city council meeting. During this meeting, the mayor allegedly spent 20 minutes slamming the Daily Herald’s reporting and a Daily Herald reporter.
Assault, typically, is a Class B Misdemeanor. However, according to KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas, assaulting an elected official is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
“It would depend on the perpetrator’s prior history,” Skordas said. “But if they’re, in fact, guilty of a felony, I would expect a judge would come down pretty harshly. And I think the County Attorney will treat this case much more seriously than others … We want to protect our public servants.”
Pugmire was booked into the Utah County Jail last week for investigation of assault, propelling a bodily substance and threatening elected officials.
Devin Oldroyd contributed to this story.
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