David Nephi Johnson, 54, pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree felony aggravated child abuse in Fourth District Court on Wednesday. Johnson was the chair of the Wasatch County Republican Party at the time of his arrest.
A criminal trial for Johnson, who was released from jail after meeting the $10,000 bail in February, is set for Nov. 9, 10 and 12.
Johnson was formally charged on Feb. 10. The aggravated child abuse charge applies when a person intentionally or knowingly inflicts serious injury upon a child, or allows another person to inflict serious injury upon a child.
According to an affidavit of probable cause from the Heber City Police Department, Johnson allegedly “waterboarded” his teenage daughter. That teen is currently under a protective order, which Fourth District Court Judge Jennifer Mabey proposed in February.
On Wednesday, Heber City Police Department Detective Anel Maldonado took the witness stand to recount the events surrounding Johnson’s arrest. Prosecutor Lindsay Chervenak questioned Maldonado. Defense attorney Katherine Conyers cross-examined the detective.
Maldonado, who has worked with the Police Department for seven years, said she was called to investigate the case involving Johnson’s alleged child abuse on Jan. 21. That’s when she met Utah Division of Child and Family Services caseworker Sydney McManus at Wasatch High School.
McManus and Maldonado then conducted a forensic interview with the teen. She disclosed instances of child abuse, which led to Johnson’s arrest.
Conyers had no questions for the detective apart from clarifying the spelling of the teen’s name. A statement from the teen was delivered to Mabey and was not read in court.
Mabey said she found the Wasatch County Attorney’s Office “met its burden” of showing probable cause for the first-degree felony.
Court documents detail the allegations against Johnson, which state that Johnson dunked the teen’s head underwater multiple times in one incident. That occurred after Johnson was allegedly “upset with the victim because she didn’t completely clean her room.”
“She disclosed that David dunked her head under, brought it out, splashed water in her face, then dunked the victim’s head under again. The victim did not know how long the incident lasted from beginning to end,” the court document states.
The teen also described situations involving her siblings. She said there was a similar event years prior, when Johnson allegedly forced her sibling’s head underwater.
In addition to “waterboarding,” the teen informed the state investigator of a time when Johnson “backhanded” her, leaving bruising. The teen told the investigator that she does not “feel very safe” at home.
The protective order in place prohibits Johnson from contacting his daughter. The teen is in the care of an older sibling as part of a safety plan set by the Utah Division of Child and Family Services and her parents. Johnson may visit his other children with supervision.
Since Johnson’s arrest, Republican Party Vice Chair Patty Sprunt has assumed temporary leadership of the party. After Johnson’s arrest in February, Sprunt told The Park Record that there would be no call for Johnson’s resignation.
She encouraged the public to wait until more information was available. That sentiment was echoed in a statement released by the county GOP in February.
The Republican Party Executive Committee also stated that it remains focused on serving the voters of Wasatch County. The group said its “thoughts are with the Johnson family during a difficult time.”
A first-degree felony is punishable by five years to life in prison and a $10,000 fine.