A 43‑year‑old man already behind bars and awaiting trial in the death of a Utah law enforcement officer has been accused of yet another confrontation with deputies at the jail where he’s detained. The incident occurred late Sunday night in the Utah County Sheriff’s Office facility, and resulted in a new allegation of propelling liquid at a corrections deputy through the crack of his cell door.
The inmate, Michael Aaron Jayne, who is facing a murder charge for the May 2024 crash that killed Sgt. Bill Hooser of the Santaquin Police Department, is already under detention in Utah County. According to court documents, the fresh incident happened shortly after 11:30 p.m. when Jayne is alleged to have manipulated something inside his cell and sprayed an unknown liquid at a deputy who was standing outside. The deputy was observed wiping the substance from his face, shirt and pants.
Investigators say the act “took planning and effort” — noting that Jayne reportedly “used his hands to forcefully hit something on the inside of his cell door through the crack,” thereby projecting the liquid at the deputy. The new allegation remains uncharged at this time, but Jayne could face a class A misdemeanor for propelling a substance at a law‑enforcement officer.
This development builds upon earlier violent incidents involving Jayne in the same jail complex. In July of this year, Jayne was accused of violently assaulting multiple deputies during a contraband inquiry. Reports show he allegedly pushed a table toward deputies, threatened to kill them, clawed the face of one deputy and even attempted to gouge his eye. Two other deputies sustained injuries ranging from a bone chip in an elbow to sprains. That incident resulted in felony charges including aggravated assault by a prisoner and assault by a prisoner.
The underlying murder case remains under prosecution. In May 2024, authorities say Jayne struck Sgt. Hooser with a semi‑truck on Interstate 15 in Santaquin after pulling away from a traffic stop involving a Utah Highway Patrol trooper. After the collision, Jayne is alleged to have fled the scene, stole multiple vehicles and was later captured in Vernal. He now faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder; prosecutors have indicated they will pursue the death penalty, which would require a unanimous jury verdict.
Even as the bail‑denied Jayne sits in custody awaiting trial, these newest allegations add new dimensions to a case already heavy with law‑enforcement scrutiny. They reinforce concerns raised by prosecutors about his conduct behind bars and how it may reflect on the broader case.
As with all defendants, Jayne is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The public and media will be watching closely as both the original murder prosecution and the newer jail‑based allegations proceed through the legal system.
