By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A Cedar City man will spend up to 15 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated assault and attempted burglary in two separate incidents involving violence and threats.
Elijah Kenneth Wall, 27, was sentenced to one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison for aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, and up to five years for attempted burglary, a third-degree felony. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Wall will serve both prison terms at the same time, with the longest sentence up to 15 years.
Officers were dispatched in the early morning hours of May 19, 2024, in response to reports of an assault. According to the probable cause statement, a male victim told officers that Wall ambushed him as he was leaving an apartment.
Wall, who had been hiding behind a vehicle, struck the victim in the head with a metal tow hitch and attempted to strangle him. The victim sustained a deep gash on his head and scratches on his neck consistent with being choked.
The incident was corroborated by the female witness who intervened during the attack. She told officers that Wall, who was her former boyfriend, had attacked the victim without provocation.
After hitting the victim and attempting to choke him, Wall fled on foot. The witness later showed officers text messages from Wall threatening further violence if the victim decided to press charges. Wall also sent voice messages expressing regret for his actions and admitting to the assault.
Wall was later found at Cedar City Hospital, where he was taken into custody. He was medically cleared before being booked into the Iron County Jail on charges of aggravated assault and tampering with a witness.
Wall pleaded guilty to aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, while the witness tampering charge was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. In a separate case, he also pleaded guilty to attempted burglary of a dwelling, a third-degree felony.
The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will ultimately decide Wall’s final length of incarceration, but the concurrent sentences reflect the maximum penalties for the charges.