Former SLCPD officer convicted for negligence, not guilty of aggravated assault
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The former Salt Lake City Police Officer accused of aggravated assault after striking and pinning a man with his car while off-duty was found guilty on Monday, Jan. 5, on just one of the two charges he was facing.
A judge found Thomas Caygle guilty of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, a Class A misdemeanor. He was found not guilty of the third-degree felony charge of aggravated assault.
Caygle now faces up to a year in a county jail and a possible fine of up to $2,500, according to Utah State Code. He will be sentenced on Monday, March 18 at 11 a.m.
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The charges stem from a December 2022 incident where Caygle rear-ended the victim and the two pulled over. When the victim went to open his truck, he said Caygle pulled his vehicle forward, pinning him between the two cars. The victim testified that his girlfriend had to move their vehicle forward to free him.
While Caygle did admit to authorities to having some alcohol before the crash, blood tests showed he also had Xanax in his system, according to court documents. Caygle’s defense argued the incident was an accident and that the former SLCPD officer did not intentionally attempt to injure the victim.
The judge ultimately agreed with the defense, determining Caygle’s actions did not meet the criteria for aggravated assault. However, they did determine he negligently operated a vehicle with Xanax in his system.
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