Agitated 25-year-old charged for assaulting 65-year-old man walking dog

LAVERKIN – A 25-year-old LaVerkin man was charged Monday with assaulting a 65-year-old man who was walking his dog.

David Carl McMurdie of LaVerkin, Utah | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s booking, St. George News
David Carl McMurdie, of LaVerkin, Utah, booking photo posted Sept. 1, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s booking, St. George News

David Carl McMurdie was arrested and charged with one third-degree felony for aggravated assault, one class B misdemeanor for disorderly conduct, and one class C misdemeanor for interfering with arrest.

At approximately 9:53 a.m., a citizen flagged down an officer to report that a man was screaming, spinning around and yelling at cars, LaVerkin City Police Officer Amber Crouse said in a probable cause statement supporting the arrest. The citizen said he was alarmed by the man’s behavior and was worried something was wrong.

Officers were in the process of looking for the man when he allegedly assaulted a 65-year-old man walking his dog in LaVerkin.

The 65-year-old man said he could hear someone running behind him and turned to see who it was, according to the statement. He did not recognize the man so he turned back around and continued walking his dog, at which point, the man hit the 65-year-old in the back with a fist-sized rock before taking off running toward the LaVerkin Farmer’s Market.

Crouse located the man, whom she described as “very agitated” and “walking at a high rate of speed” near the Farmer’s Market. Crouse said in the statement:

I pulled into the parking lot and asked the male his name. He stated his name was David McMurdie. David was very angry and wanted to know what I wanted. He was yelling about having a penis and not a vagina. He was also yelling that he didn’t have boobs, breasts or a vagina. He drew a lot of attention from people in the parking lot with the things he was yelling.

When she asked McMurdie what had happened with the man walking his dog, Crouse said in her statement, McMurdie said he had been at home and didn’t know a man walking a dog.

“I asked David if he hit a man with a rock,” Crouse said, “and he stated he doesn’t pick on retards.”

With assistance from a deputy and another officer, McMurdie was detained and placed under arrest. McMurdie began pushing himself back and tensed up, and while officers were trying to place him in the patrol car, he fell to his knees and would not get into the vehicle.

Once inside the patrol car, McMurdie began hitting his head on the cage, according to court documents. When officers told him to stop hitting his head on the cage, he began hitting his head on the side window. After officers, again, told McMurdie to stop, he spit at them. On the way to the jail, officers had to stop and put a spit mask on McMurdie and restrain his feet because he was trying to kick out the back window of the patrol car.

While en route to the jail, McMurdie said “he asked that old man if he knew his sister and then he hit him with the rock,” Crouse said the statement.

The 65-year-old said he has metal plates holding his back together and that he would need an x-ray to determine if the rock caused damage.

McMurdie was booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility on Monday. His bail is set at $5,830.

McMurdie made his initial court appearance Tuesday.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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24 Comments

  • EL JEFE September 3, 2014 at 9:23 am

    There are some really strange and evil people out there. Drug induced behavior?? Still evil! People need to stay vigilant out there. Be aware of your surroundings….ramp up the threat level.

  • Brett September 3, 2014 at 9:51 am

    This is way more interesting than the average car accident.

  • real life September 3, 2014 at 10:13 am

    Meth is one crazy drug. This is why there are conceal carry laws.

  • Just and Old Man September 3, 2014 at 10:30 am

    From some of the posts I have seen I wonder if this was Koolaid or Bobber. Sounds a lot like some of their posts. Maybe a Brother.

  • My Evil Twin September 3, 2014 at 10:39 am

    I don’t believe that his condition, whether it is drug/alcohol induced, or a mental problem should even be taken into consideration here. This guy is obviously a danger to himself and others, and needs to be removed from general society.
    And just maybe, they should have totally kicked his arse for him as well. As long as idiots do not suffer physical pain, they will keep on “acting out.”
    We have become so weak as a society, that we tolerate fools that a couple of generations ago, would have been locked away. Or at least have been made to understand that there are serious consequences for their behavior.

  • Mean momma September 3, 2014 at 10:51 am

    Wow. Just wow.

  • Reader September 3, 2014 at 10:53 am

    I like to see these things play out before commenting but, His bail is set at $5,830.00 Seems a little low for such an aggravating crime. A hand or fist size rock could kill someone especially a sixty five year old.

  • bobber September 3, 2014 at 10:53 am

    I think we need to check on the local dogs and horses in the area and make sure they weren’t violated…

    • donnie September 3, 2014 at 12:53 pm

      you seem to know alot about violating animals go check em yourself idiot…

  • KoolAid September 3, 2014 at 11:31 am

    If this had been in Cedar, I would have assumed the guy was jealous of another man walking with his girl.

    • bobber September 3, 2014 at 12:55 pm

      I think you may have just discovered motive.

      • Just and Old Man September 3, 2014 at 1:00 pm

        If you love Rodeo you talk and wear Cowboy gear, Motor cross same talk Motor cross, So based on what they talk about Koolaid and Bobber must be into farm animals.

      • Koolaid September 3, 2014 at 2:57 pm

        Thought his little … was steppin’ out on him?

  • donnie September 3, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    i think you should know more about the person idiots, i am his dad and he dont drink or use drugs he has brain damage, and he is a very good kid but cant control certain things so before you write rude sh t gather all your details, and for bobber why dont you go check all the livestock since you seem to know so much about them…….

    • bobber September 3, 2014 at 1:24 pm

      Guess what “Dad”, your criminally negligent for letting your “brain damaged son” escape out of the cellar. Now your going to jail too.

      • bobber September 3, 2014 at 1:26 pm

        Oops *you’re … LOL

        • Just and Old Man September 3, 2014 at 3:42 pm

          Your the only one that lives in the basement of his mother’s house. Maybe you come out at night. From your comments that why Farmer Brown has been watching you. I think you and Koolaid are the same person. With No life you have to make up your friends.

          • Curious September 3, 2014 at 5:31 pm

            Is there a connection between the sister and the old man and how old is she?

    • SAGEMOON September 4, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      I’m sorry you’re family is going through this. It’s a tough situation when an adult is still a “child.”

  • that guy September 3, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    Bobber does your mommy know your on the computer again? Your the perfect example of why no 12 year old should have a computer in their bedroom.

  • bobber September 3, 2014 at 4:46 pm

    I’m really just hoping at this point that no domestic animals were violated. I expect this young man out of his padded room in the cellar and in the bishop’s office first thing Sunday.

  • Have Fun September 3, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    Get to know your drugs people…new drug going around…cmon people this is a bad drug that causes very long lasting almost permafrying effects…people will see their wives cheating when shes ACTUALLY sleeping…chew faces off…true scarey shix…say hello to bathsalts…which is being mixed or used straight up like meth…the lasting hallucinations stay longer and destrpys your brain…while ur kids play outside or u decide to walk ur dog…this is only the beginning…not even drug court could hold someone I know even though her face is picked too all …*…yeah..better get on it…this one is gonna bring hell with it…
    Ed. ellipsis: …*

  • tinmanfree September 4, 2014 at 7:27 am

    It may be drug related, but the first things this guy needs in purgatory is a mental health evaluation. Southern Utah spends plenty of money on salaries for revenue generating traffic enforcement, but nothing on mental health prevention and intervention. Very sad! And yes, I’m noticing a lot more tweaker-looking types roaming around St. George and Washington County. Why is that with the number of cops that are out there? Time to shift priorities from petty enforcement and tax collecting to real police work that actually protects and serves the community.

  • Hobbit September 10, 2014 at 4:09 am

    Y’all ever been to LaVerkin? My parents live there in a big house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and a dog.

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