Landlord arrested for sledgehammer attack

A landlord is accused of breaking through a renter’s door with a sledgehammer and chasing the victim with it through his residence and then outside.

David Shaskey, 60, was arrested for aggravated burglary and felony assault along with misdemeanor charges of intoxication and threatening a police officer.

Police were called to a home on Woodland Avenue in Salt Lake City where they saw Shaskey with the sledgehammer and said he had a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from his person.” It was the second time police had been called about Shaskey trying to break into the residence in 24 hours.

“David has escalated his behavior from harassing the victim to violently breaking into the victim’s residence and attempting to do him bodily harm with a sledgehammer,” police said.

Police found, according to probable cause documents, the door to the home destroyed with the doorknob broken off and the frame broken. Police said there were holes in the door and debris from the door was scattered “all over the floor.”

The victim told officers before they arrived Shaskey chased him through the home and then outside where he threw the sledgehammer at him. Shaskey was arrested and taken to the Salt Lake County jail. Police said before Shaskey was booked he yelled at the arresting officer and several correctional officers that he was going to get his sons to go after and kill them.

Shaskey lives across the street from the rental property. Documents also stated that there is substantial evidence to support the felony charge and “through clear and convincing evidence” he would constitute a substantial danger to another person or the community if he were released on bail.