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Canyon watchmen identified

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Canyon watchmen identified

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Herald Journal article identifies the guards involved in an armed standoff involving 30 trespassing legend-trippers at St. Anne's Retreat.
The Herald Journal
Canyon watchmen identified
By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office this morning released the names of three watchmen accused of terrorizing a group of teen-agers trespassing at the former St. Anne’s Convent in Logan Canyon on Friday night.

John Jeppson, 50, of Pocatello, Idaho, is the head watchman that made the initial trespassing call from Zanavoo Restaurant and Lodge to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at around 10:30 p.m. Friday.

The other two watchmen were identified as Christopher Doerr and Arthur Peasnall, both of Tooele County.

When The Herald Journal telephoned John Jeppson this morning, an unidentified woman answered the phone and said she’d leave a message for Jeppson but hung up before the paper’s number could be given.

When Peasnall was called and asked to give his side of the story, he repeatedly said, “I have no comment.”

Doerrs telephone number could not be located.

Chief Deputy Mike Stauffer with the sheriff’s office said the three men are being investigated and it will be up to the Cache County Attorney’s Office if charges are filed.

Deputy Troy Liquin, in his report of the incident, stated that when he arrived, he was met by the three watchmen each with flashlights taped to the end of their shotguns. Jeppson also was wearing a holstered pistol strapped to his belt.

When he told them to put their weapons in their vehicles, all of them complied except Jeppson, who Liquin said had to be told three times before he put his weapon away.

Liquin said he discovered the 30 trespassing youths in the pool on their knees. Twenty of them had a continuous nylon cord wrapped around their necks and if one person moved, they would all choke, he said in the report.

Some of the girls were crying and two or three other males were near tears because their hands were tied so tight with plastic cuffs, according to the report.

“As I looked at their hands, on the girls particularly, most of them were turning white in color, almost bluish in color. Visible swelling as well as red marks were observed on the majority of the individuals,” Liquin stated.

Liquin said he ordered the cuffs to be removed, and the youths complained of being hit and yelled at. One girl said one of the guards fondled her, according to the report.

One teen-ager handed a spent Federal 12-gague shotgun shell casing to an officer and said it had been shot near his head. Another said a guard shot next to his feet, the report said.

When deputies approached the three watchmen, Liquin said Peasnall used a military identification card to identify himself.

“Mr. Jeppson was very upset about the juveniles being there. He stated, ‘What am I supposed to do?’” according to the report. “Mr. Jeppson…began talking about Vietnam and how this was similar to troops being placed in Vietnam, and went on with some conversation about police powers in the war.”

Stauffer said the watchmen weren’t arrested because an investigation would need to be conducted to determine which of the juveniles were telling the truth.

“We arrested the juveniles because it was immediately apparent they were trespassing,” Stauffer said.

He said the fact the juveniles were trespassing and had to cross through a barbed wire fence to get there has been underplayed in this incident.

“Obviously, someone didn’t want them on their property,” he said.

The thirty people were cited and released for trespassing.

Another six people, three youths and three adults, were cited earlier Friday for trespassing on the same property.

Action beyond legal limits?
By Phil Jensen
Staff writer

Trespassing laws do not allow the kind of force or confinement allegedly used by three armed caretakers who terrorized Cache County teen-agers in Logan Canyon on Friday.

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two incidents of teen-agers who said they were held captive, abused and threatened with their lives at the old St. Anne’s Retreat midway up the canyon.

Detectives said the case will be turned over County Attorney Scott Wyatt who will determine what if any charges against the caretakers will be filed.

Wyatt said he was meeting today with sheriff’s investigators and should know by Tuesday morning what action his office will take.

A Logan attorney read to reporters parts of the state law covering trespassing and what a property owner legally can and cannot do.

The use of force such as weapons against a trespasser or confining a trespasser is against the law unless the owner feels his life or the life of others is in danger, the law states.

“They could be liable for false imprisonment, assault and battery and a whole host of things,” said Joe Chambers, a Logan attorney and former Rich County deputy attorney.

Chambers said the law also covers “intentional infliction of emotional distress” against a trespasser, saying it is illegal to do something “so extreme and outrageous that if you hear about it the average person would say, I can’t believe they did that,” Chambers said.

Chambers, who has a 17-year old son, said he would have been outraged if his daughter had been fondled by the caretakers, as one of the teenagers alleged. “I’d be sitting on Scott Wyatt’s doorstep right now,” he said.

Chambers said the owner also has liability.

“You can’t just hire a bunch of crazies to take care of your property and have no liability, Chambers said.

According to records at the Cache County recorder’s office, the property was sold by the Catholic Church in 1992 to Peggy Godfrey for $120,000. Records also contain the name of Richard Salvitti of Salt Lake City as the person responsible for taxes. Efforts to contact both Godfrey and Salvitti were not successful.

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Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, FOLK COLL 32

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Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the USU Libraries Special Collections and Archives, phone (435) 797-2663.

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Utah State University Folklore in the news collection, 1973-2012, FOLK COLL 32
http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04849
St. Anne's Retreat

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http://digital.lib.usu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p16944coll20/id/14
SCAFOLK032Bx003Fd07Item0005.pdf

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The Herald Journal
Canyon watchmen identified
By Ryan Robb Oliver
Staff writer

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office this morning released the names of three watchmen accused of terrorizing a group of teen-agers trespassing at the former St. Anne’s Convent in Logan Canyon on Friday night.

John Jeppson, 50, of Pocatello, Idaho, is the head watchman that made the initial trespassing call from Zanavoo Restaurant and Lodge to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at around 10:30 p.m. Friday.

The other two watchmen were identified as Christopher Doerr and Arthur Peasnall, both of Tooele County.

When The Herald Journal telephoned John Jeppson this morning, an unidentified woman answered the phone and said she’d leave a message for Jeppson but hung up before the paper’s number could be given.

When Peasnall was called and asked to give his side of the story, he repeatedly said, “I have no comment.”

Doerrs telephone number could not be located.

Chief Deputy Mike Stauffer with the sheriff’s office said the three men are being investigated and it will be up to the Cache County Attorney’s Office if charges are filed.

Deputy Troy Liquin, in his report of the incident, stated that when he arrived, he was met by the three watchmen each with flashlights taped to the end of their shotguns. Jeppson also was wearing a holstered pistol strapped to his belt.

When he told them to put their weapons in their vehicles, all of them complied except Jeppson, who Liquin said had to be told three times before he put his weapon away.

Liquin said he discovered the 30 trespassing youths in the pool on their knees. Twenty of them had a continuous nylon cord wrapped around their necks and if one person moved, they would all choke, he said in the report.

Some of the girls were crying and two or three other males were near tears because their hands were tied so tight with plastic cuffs, according to the report.

“As I looked at their hands, on the girls particularly, most of them were turning white in color, almost bluish in color. Visible swelling as well as red marks were observed on the majority of the individuals,” Liquin stated.

Liquin said he ordered the cuffs to be removed, and the youths complained of being hit and yelled at. One girl said one of the guards fondled her, according to the report.

One teen-ager handed a spent Federal 12-gague shotgun shell casing to an officer and said it had been shot near his head. Another said a guard shot next to his feet, the report said.

When deputies approached the three watchmen, Liquin said Peasnall used a military identification card to identify himself.

“Mr. Jeppson was very upset about the juveniles being there. He stated, ‘What am I supposed to do?’” according to the report. “Mr. Jeppson…began talking about Vietnam and how this was similar to troops being placed in Vietnam, and went on with some conversation about police powers in the war.”

Stauffer said the watchmen weren’t arrested because an investigation would need to be conducted to determine which of the juveniles were telling the truth.

“We arrested the juveniles because it was immediately apparent they were trespassing,” Stauffer said.

He said the fact the juveniles were trespassing and had to cross through a barbed wire fence to get there has been underplayed in this incident.

“Obviously, someone didn’t want them on their property,” he said.

The thirty people were cited and released for trespassing.

Another six people, three youths and three adults, were cited earlier Friday for trespassing on the same property.


Action beyond legal limits?
By Phil Jensen
Staff writer

Trespassing laws do not allow the kind of force or confinement allegedly used by three armed caretakers who terrorized Cache County teen-agers in Logan Canyon on Friday.

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two incidents of teen-agers who said they were held captive, abused and threatened with their lives at the old St. Anne’s Retreat midway up the canyon.

Detectives said the case will be turned over County Attorney Scott Wyatt who will determine what if any charges against the caretakers will be filed.

Wyatt said he was meeting today with sheriff’s investigators and should know by Tuesday morning what action his office will take.

A Logan attorney read to reporters parts of the state law covering trespassing and what a property owner legally can and cannot do.

The use of force such as weapons against a trespasser or confining a trespasser is against the law unless the owner feels his life or the life of others is in danger, the law states.

“They could be liable for false imprisonment, assault and battery and a whole host of things,” said Joe Chambers, a Logan attorney and former Rich County deputy attorney.

Chambers said the law also covers “intentional infliction of emotional distress” against a trespasser, saying it is illegal to do something “so extreme and outrageous that if you hear about it the average person would say, I can’t believe they did that,” Chambers said.

Chambers, who has a 17-year old son, said he would have been outraged if his daughter had been fondled by the caretakers, as one of the teenagers alleged. “I’d be sitting on Scott Wyatt’s doorstep right now,” he said.

Chambers said the owner also has liability.

“You can’t just hire a bunch of crazies to take care of your property and have no liability, Chambers said.

According to records at the Cache County recorder’s office, the property was sold by the Catholic Church in 1992 to Peggy Godfrey for $120,000. Records also contain the name of Richard Salvitti of Salt Lake City as the person responsible for taxes. Efforts to contact both Godfrey and Salvitti were not successful.

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