Booking photo for John J. Sharkey (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 43-year-old man has been arrested and charged with violently attacking a woman, causing her to flee for help early Tuesday morning. John J. Sharkey was booked into the Cache County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
According to an arrest report, Rich County sheriff’s deputies were called to a Garden City home around 6:30 a.m., after the alleged victim walked naked to a nearby business, reporting Sharkey had assaulted her and locked her out of the residence. The woman was treated for multiple injuries, including frostbite, and transferred to a Logan area hospital.
The alleged victim told deputies her boyfriend, Sharkey, held her captive for several hours, while threatening to kill her and attempting to rape her. He also reportedly strangled her unconscious, and dumped liquid into her nose in a manner similar with waterboarding.
The woman also described how Sharkey broke eggs on her head and face, along with other humiliating acts. He allegedly videoed portions of the abuse with his cellphone and threatened to show it to other people.
Deputies responded to the home and found Sharkey allegedly hiding in the basement. He attempted to flee several times as law enforcement tried to subdue him with a taser unsuccessfully. They eventually wrestled him to the ground and placed him in handcuffs and shackles.
According to the report, as deputies were transferring Sharkey through Logan Canyon, he began bashing his head against the walls of the cage, causing the deputy to tase him again.
Sharkey was arraigned during a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Thursday afternoon, appearing by web conference from jail. He was charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault and aggravated sexual extortion, both second-degree felonies; along with other felonies and misdemeanors.
Cache County Deputy Attorney Barbara Lachmar asked for Sharkey to be kept in jail. She explained, he had recently been released from prison in Colorado after serving 10 years for assault with a dangerous weapon.
Judge Spencer Walsh assigned Sharkey a public defender. He agreed with Lachmar and ordered the suspect to be temporarily held without bail.
Sharkey is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing Feb. 1. He could face up to life in prison if convicted.
will@cvradio.com