Domestic dispute with a katana leads to arrest in Vernal

VERNAL, Utah — A domestic dispute involving a katana resulted in the arrest of a man named Tyler Shurtleff following a welfare check by Officer Shay McCurdy with the Vernal Police Department. Responding to a call reporting a white male with visible injuries, Officer McCurdy arrived at 251 North 500 West to find a door partially open with bloodstains and broken pieces scattered around.

According to a probable cause statement, after knocking, Shurtleff told McCurdy he couldn’t come in but later admitted to a fight with his husband, named RS. RS was found outside the residence, visibly injured, with a cut across his ear and head. He claimed Tyler had used a Katana (sword) during their fight. RS denied striking Tyler and expressed a desire to avoid further conflict.

Shurtleff told a different story. The PC statement says Shurtleff was concerned for RS’s safety and claimed that RS had started the fight. Shurtleff admitted to placing RS in a chokehold and dragging him outside.

Officer McCurdy’s probable cause statement said that after assessing the evidence, he determined Shurtleff as the primary aggressor. Shurtleff was then arrested and booked on charges related to using unlawful force.

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