TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — The Salt Lake County District Attorney has filed charges against a Taylorsville police officer in connection with a deadly shooting in October of 2024.
Jimmy Jeremy Haas, 36, faces one charge of manslaughter. According to officials, Haas used unjustified force in the case and didn't act within appropriate industry parameters.
Haas' counsel has been notified of the charges, according to officials.
According to police at the time, officers located a stolen car whose driver, 28-year-old Henry Chavez Jr., had fled from Salt Lake City police earlier.
Officers allegedly followed the vehicle from a distance and through the air with the aid of a Department of Public Safety helicopter. Eventually, Chavez pulled into a parking lot in the area of 3900 South and 300 West.
Police say they found two people, Chavez and a female passenger, inside the car after the traffic stop. That's when shots were allegedly fired by police.
According to court documents, body-worn camera footage showed Haas getting out of his police vehicle in the parking lot and the truck that Chavez was driving going in reverse to strike Haas' vehicle.
Haas allegedly yelled, "Let me see your hands," multiple times.
Another detective can be allegedly seen on the video pinning Chavez's truck. Haas approached the truck while shining a light through the rear window. According to investigators, Chavez can be seen moving towards the passenger side of the vehicle when Haas shot his gun.
Detectives say that Chavez ran from police and hid in a nearby garage, where he was later found. Court documents allege it took 16 minutes before police were able to begin resuscitation efforts.
Chavez died from his injuries at the scene, and the female passenger was taken into custody at the time.
The passenger later told police that Chavez didn't have any guns on him. Police add that no firearms were found in Chavez, in the area, or in the truck.
A statement by Eric Daigle, a consultant and expert in use of force reads, "It is my opinion to a reasonable degree of professional certainty, based on the evidence available for analysis, that Detective Jimmy HAAS' actions in firing his weapon through the rear windshield of a green pick up truck at the driver, including the amount of force used, were not reasonable and consistent with general industry standards for the use of deadly force and officer-involved shootings. "
Criminal charges against police officers are rare in Salt Lake County. Several similar cases over the last decade have ended in dismissal of charges.
Bob Sykes, an attorney who has spent decades representing the families of victims of alleged excessive force by police, said the facts of the case did not meet the legal threshold for deadly force.
"That officer was not in immediate danger himself, and others were not in an immediate danger of death or serious injury, and therefore, he should not have used the force, and he should have known that," Sykes said.
Sykes said the possibility that Chavez may have had a gun in the vehicle was not sufficient justification for the shooting.
"Now, the fact that he thought maybe the guy has a gun in the car, that's not enough because he doesn't know that, that's just speculation, you know, and in Utah, everybody could have a gun. I mean, you know, a lot of people have guns in their car and it's legal, but just because they have a gun in the car and could maybe pull it out and start firing does not, not, not give you the right to use deadly force as an officer," Sykes said.
Haas is scheduled for an initial court appearance on June 12.
