Prosecutors charged three people Monday in connection with the flipping of a Salt Lake City patrol car that was then set on fire during a raucous protest late last month decrying racism and police brutality.
Rhys Clementine Wisner, 21, of Midvale; Julie Mariam Yasima, 26, of Murray; and Ian Eric Nightingale, 18, of South Jordan have each been charged in 3rd District Court with one count of criminal mischief, a first degree felony, and one count of riot, a third degree felony.
The criminal mischief count includes a gang enhancement due to the number of participants involved in the car flipping and is punishable by up to life in prison. The riot count is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Court documents allege that Nightingale helped push the patrol car over and used a skateboard to smash out its rear window once the vehicle was on its back. Wisner and Yasima also helped turn the car over, probable cause statements claim.
Yasima apparently identified herself in a video of the incident during an interview with police and admitted that she had contributed to the damage, according to court documents. Police identified Wisner and Nightingale at least partially with the help of driver license photos.
At least eight protesters were involved in the flipping of the car, court documents state, and at least six have been charged so far.
Prosecutors last week charged three others in connection with the property damage: Jackson Stuart Tamowski Patton, 26; Latroi Devons Newbins, 28; and Connor Peebles, 21.
Patton and Newbins have been charged in Salt Lake City’s federal court with arson, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a minimum sentence of five years. Peebles was charged with one count of criminal mischief (which includes the gang enhancement) and one count of rioting after he turned himself in last week.
Court documents do not say the value of the destroyed police car or its contents but state that it was over $5,000.
