SANTAQUIN, UTAH — A truck driver facing the death penalty in the killing of a Utah police officer is now suing Utah County, arguing the county failed to provide the high-quality defense required in capital cases and left his legal team without enough funding to properly defend him.

Michael Aaron Jayne, identified in reports as 41 or 42 years old, is charged in connection with the May 5, 2024, death of Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser, also identified in some reports as Sgt. Billy Dean Hooser. Prosecutors are pursuing aggravated murder and other charges that could make Jayne eligible for the death penalty.

Civil Lawsuit Challenges County’s Funding of Capital Defense

Jayne’s new lawsuit argues that Utah County has not provided the level of legal defense required when the state seeks execution and the defendant cannot afford counsel.

Jayne was deemed indigent on May 13, 2024, meaning the court found he could not afford an attorney. According to the lawsuit, he was not assigned a public defender until July 2, 2024. The filing says more than one attorney later withdrew from the case because of lack of funding.

Attorney Elizabeth Wang, who represents Jayne in the civil complaint, said, “When the State seeks to execute someone, they have the responsibility to provide for a high-quality defense. This is a core tenet of our justice system. Utah County is failing in that duty in this case.”

So far, the county has assigned $280,000 in attorney funds for Jayne’s defense.

Jayne’s civil defense team said that amount is far too low for an aggravated murder case where restrictions on attorney time, investigation, and expert work could affect whether a defendant lives or dies.

“This, the complaint argues, is grossly insufficient for an aggravated murder case like Mr. Jayne’s, where restrictions on hours for representation and investigation could mean the difference between life and death,” the civil defense team said in a public statement. “Already, several attorneys representing Mr. Jayne quit over the lack of funds, and his current defense attorney has reported that the County has denied requests for additional funding.”

The lawsuit says, “By February 2026, Nish [Jayne’s attorney] had billed over 100% of the funds available under the Contract for phase 1 (prior to the preliminary hearing). The second part of the preliminary hearing concluded on March 26, 2026.”

Jayne’s lawsuit also says the county must provide additional money for experts because of the complexity of the case.

A judge overseeing the lawsuit stated “that she believed exculpatory evidence was lost in the Capital Aggravated Murder Case due to the fact that no investigator was assigned to Plaintiff for the first two months of the case.”

Attorney Jordan Poole said, “They’re trying to rig the game against our client. Utah County is responsible for both sides of this trial, and one side is trying to kill Mr. Jayne while the other is being starved of the resources necessary to defend his life. It’s not fair, it’s not legal, and it’s not going to stand.”

The lawsuit seeks removal of the cap on attorney compensation and other fees, removal of pre-approval requirements for experts, and a preliminary injunction barring what Jayne says are further violations of his rights while requiring adequate and timely defense funding.

Officer Killed During Interstate 15 Traffic Stop

The criminal case stems from a deadly incident on Interstate 15 near Santaquin early on May 5, 2024.

According to court documents and police reports, Jayne himself called police, reporting that someone was riding on the back of his tractor-trailer and that the Hells Angels were following him. One report said the original call to Utah Highway Patrol came around 6 a.m. involving a semitrailer traveling north.

A Santaquin police officer and a Utah Highway Patrol trooper located the truck about 30 minutes later and conducted a traffic stop near mile marker 244 on northbound I-15.

Reports say Jayne was uncooperative during the stop and would not answer questions. Officers reportedly tried to reassure him that he was not in trouble and that they were there to help.

Woman in Cab Asked for Help

As officers spoke with Jayne, a woman inside the cab, later identified as his girlfriend, held up a note reading, “Michael Jayne took me,” and “HELP ME.”

In another account, she escaped from the truck when Jayne was distracted and ran around the back of the rig with her hands up, screaming that Jayne was going to hurt her. Court documents say she made contact with Sgt. Hooser and pleaded for help.

The affidavit states, “The female ran towards the police cars parked behind the semi truck with her hands up screaming that Michael was going to hurt her. Despite being detained, Michael began driving the semi truck North on i15 and made a sharp U-turn coming back towards the officers and the female.”

After the woman fled, officers tried to take Jayne into custody. A Highway Patrol trooper told him to step out, but instead, he locked the cab doors and drove away.

Court documents say Sgt. Hooser and Trooper Griffiths then began running back toward their patrol vehicles. As they did, Jayne allegedly made a sharp U-turn and drove the truck back toward the officers and the woman.

“Sgt. Hooser and Trooper Griffiths began to run back towards their vehicles. As they were running with their backs to the fleeing semi-truck, the driver, Jayne, began to make a sharp U-turn in the northbound lane of travel and began to head south directly towards the officers and female,” the documents state.

One update from Spanish Fork Police said, “The suspect made a U-turn, deliberately targeted the officers and intentionally hit both vehicles. He struck the Santaquin officer, causing fatal injuries.”

Authorities said Jayne struck Hooser from behind, pinning him between the semi-truck and a patrol vehicle. The woman believed Jayne was still coming after her and got into a police vehicle trying to get away.

Sgt. Hooser was declared dead at the scene.

Reports Describe Drug Use, Paranoia, and Alleged Kidnapping

Investigators later learned from Jayne’s girlfriend that the two had been in Beaver, Utah, the night before. According to the affidavit, both used methamphetamine there.

“While speaking with the girlfriend, officers learned that her and Jayne were in Beaver, Utah, the previous night. Both used Methamphetamines while they were there. After Jayne used meth, the girlfriend stated Jayne got really paranoid and started to become violent,” the affidavit says.

The woman told police she had flown from Idaho to meet Jayne in Arizona for a trucking job. She said they later traveled to California and through Las Vegas, where truck repairs were done the morning of Saturday, May 4, 2024. She said Jayne’s mailing address was in Redding, California, and that he drove trucks for a living.

She told officers Jayne became violent at the Flying J truck stop in Beaver after he reportedly used more methamphetamine and told her to get out of the truck. She said he later came back, drove off several times trying to get her to return, and eventually threatened her with bear spray and a knife.

According to released documents, “The female did not believe Michael would use the bear spray in public and hid her face. Michael came to the same side of the bench as the female and placed the blade of the knife over her clothes into the area of her kidneys. The female agreed to get into the truck but requested he gave her the bear spray.”

The paperwork says Jayne later jumped out of bed yelling that Hells Angels were after him and that he needed to call police.

“Michael began erratically driving, causing the female to severely fear for her life. The female stated she was bouncing around in the bed area of the truck while Michael put his seat belt on and began speaking with 911 dispatchers. The female stated Michael acted aggressive and violent towards her and that he thought she was a Hells Angel gang member.”

An investigator wrote, “As per my training and experience, drug users who use Methamphetamines often have delusions, lack of sleep, tremors or twitching, paranoia, agitated or aggressive behavior, and have impaired decision-making capabilities. Given the above-mentioned statements, it is probable that Jayne’s blood would contain illegal substances, more specifically Methamphetamine, due to his belief he was being followed by Hells Angels when there were none, and his statements that people were hanging off the back of the semi-truck.”

The investigator added, “This would also explain the girlfriend’s statements that he became aggressive and violent demonstrated by his actions this morning (May 5).”

Flight Continued Across Utah

After striking Hooser, Jayne fled on foot. Authorities said he then stole at least one vehicle and continued fleeing across a large section of Utah.

Police said Jayne first went to a nearby convenience store and stole another semi-truck, driving it to Mona before abandoning it there.

After that, officials said he stole a Ford F-150 in Mona while multiple law enforcement units searched the area. A Blue Alert was issued because a law enforcement officer had been killed.

The Ford pickup was later located in Mt. Pleasant. Officials said Jayne then stole another vehicle there.

Another affidavit states that Jayne drove to a remote home where no one was present, drove a truck into the garage, entered the home through the garage, stole boots, and then took keys to a white Ford F-150.

The affidavit states, “Jayne used the truck as a battering ram to back out of the garage without opening the garage door. Jayne then fled to Vernal where he was witnessed by officers driving the stolen Ford F-150. Jayne fled from officers and a pursuit ensued. Jayne ultimately crashed the truck and was taken into custody.”

Police later located him near Vernal and engaged in a short pursuit before stopping him with a PIT maneuver after he crashed the stolen pickup. He was then taken to a hospital and later booked into jail.

A shelter-in-place order was issued for residents near Mona and later lifted shortly before 10:15 a.m.

Additional Charges and Criminal History Cited

For the May 2024 case, Jayne has been charged with aggravated murder targeting law enforcement, attempted murder targeting law enforcement, attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping, felony evading, three counts of vehicle theft, and aggravated burglary.

Since being jailed, Jayne has also reportedly picked up more charges after spraying an unknown liquid on an officer and attempting to “dig [an officer’s] eyeball out of his head.”

Reports also say Jayne was on federal probation or parole tied to California at the time. One affidavit states, “Jayne is on federal parole in California.” Another report says that as of May 12, 2024, he was on federal probation.

Jayne’s criminal history was also outlined in reports. It includes convictions for assaults on an officer with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, battery on an officer, resisting arrest, threats of violence toward police, vandalism, felon in possession of a firearm and body armor, interruption or damage to a communication device, and felony evading.

In 2010, he was convicted of attempting to run over an Oregon police officer with a vehicle. One report described that prior case as attempted murder of an Oregon State Police trooper.

Widow Also Sued Trucking Company

In November 2025, Hooser’s wife filed a separate lawsuit against Jayne and the trucking company that hired him.

That lawsuit alleges the company “breached their duty by not vetting or investigating Jayne’s history, to verify whether he was a competent, unsafe, or violent person.”

Community Response Followed Officer’s Death

Utah Highway Patrol shut down both northbound and southbound I-15 during the investigation before later reopening the freeway.

Later that day, dozens of police officers on motorcycles and in patrol vehicles escorted Hooser’s body along I-15 from the crash scene to the state medical examiner’s office.

Santaquin Police Lt. Mike Wall spoke emotionally at a press conference after the killing.

“Our entire department is hurt, and the family of the officer is hurt,” Wall said through tears. “Because of a senseless act by one individual, we have family members who will miss their father at their nearing wedding. But I can assure you that we as a police department will stand up and will be there, and we are one family.”

Santaquin Mayor Dan Olson added, “This loss is one of those difficult times that we will struggle with for some time, and we will do our best supporting each other, loving one another, and loving these men in blue that serve us every day.”

Reports also said Sgt. Hooser’s funeral was scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2024.

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