Smithfield Man Gets Up To 15 Years For Throwing Acid At Neighbor’s Kids
Mar 12, 2019, 6:43 PM | Updated: 6:52 pm
LOGAN, Utah — Addressing the court Tuesday, 33 year-old Jason Summers read an apology for something he’d done last July.
“First, I’d like to apologize to everyone I’ve hurt by my reckless behavior.” Summers said. “I’m truly sorry to each and every one of you.”
In it’s entirety, his apology lasted 23 seconds.
“I want to beg for forgiveness to those I’ve hurt,” He continued. “I vow to make amends for my wrongs, and right them.”
Jason Summers
It’s likely similar to the amount of time it took for him to walk over to his neighbor’s carport, and to throw sulphuric acid at at two young boys, just 3 and 5 years old at the time.
The boys’ father, Clayton Coulam testified in Tuesday’s sentencing hearing too.
“2018 has been the hardest year of my life,” Coulam said. “My family was tortured for months. My sons were physically and mentally abused, and these events left scars in our hearts.”
The incident, that Coulam managed to catch on surveillance video, left his two sons, Travis, and Hayden scarred on the outside too.
“At the hospital, I was one of four people that had to hold my son down, as we tried to rinse his wounds for 30 minutes,” Coulam told 1st District Court Judge, Brian Cannell. “It’s caused lacerations to his back, as he fought to get away from the pain. His was worse than the crime itself.”
Summers’ attorney, Shannon Demler, argued that Summers is remorseful, adding that he has four children himself that he needs to help care for.
“He’s very desirous of getting help,” Demler said. “He wants to change. He needs the therapy. He wants the therapy.”
Prosecutors, however, argued that Summers’ is a danger to the community — stating that he’d stolen, taken advantage of others and even fired a gun at another man in the past.
Travis and Hayden Coulam
“He committed this crime in front of his own minor children,” Assistant Cache County Attorney, Barbara Lachmar said of the July incident. “Who I can tell the court from my experience with trauma, most likely traumatized those children as well.”
Ultimately, Judge Brian Cannell sentenced Summers to between one and fifteen years in prison, for the two counts of child abuse. Meantime, Coulam says his family continues to live with the effects of Summers’ actions.
“It’s hard for not just us, but for our whole family,” Coulam said. “Our kids were tortured, and it’s hard to re-live it. And we just ask that the public be sensitive to our situation.”
The Coulam family has a GoFundMe page* set up to help with the more than $24,000 in costs from their sons’ injuries.
*KSL does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
