WEST JORDAN, Utah — A Utah man is now facing several charges after he allegedly called police to say he was trying to kill his wife with a sledgehammer. Dennis Alma Day, 77, was arrested on Monday and faces attempted murder, aggravated assault, and felony discharge of a firearm charges.
According to court documents, Day called police at 8:50 a.m. Monday saying, "I am trying to kill my wife, and it's personal." While Dennis was on the phone with dispatchers, his wife also called in to report that her husband had hit her in the head with a sledgehammer.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Dennis in the garage of his home holding a .22 caliber handgun. Day refused to comply with the officer's commands and raised the gun at police before he hid behind a parked truck.
Eventually, police were able to get Day to throw the gun over the truck and into the street. At that point, he was placed under arrest.
Officers were also able to locate the victim by the back gate of a neighbor's home. Detectives report the victim had blood coming down her face in a manner consistent with being hit by a heavy object.
The victim explained to officers that her husband had hit her multiple times in the back of the head with the sledgehammer. At one point, the victim was able to grab the hammer and throw it down the stairs while she made her escape from the house.
Inside the home, officers say they found a spent .22 caliber shell in the garage as well as blood on the floor of the home and the reported sledgehammer.
Dennis Day invoked his Miranda Rights and declined to speak with police.
