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SALT LAKE CITY – A man accused of bursting into a tire shop, threatening to "kill someone" before attacking two men with a metal pipe, told the authorities that he had specifically targeted the company because it belonged to a Mexican and that he wanted to retaliate. The "Mexican mafia" that he would have "prosecuted", according to court documents.
Alan Dale Covington, 50, was charged on Friday in a court of the 3rd District Court of aggravated assault, a second degree crime. aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon, each third-degree crime, possession or use of a controlled substance and possession of an addict paraphernalia, each tort counting.
The family of two men attacked hopes that prosecutors will treat Veronica Lopez, the sister of one of the victims, said that their family had been informed Friday that prosecutors would not prosecute hate crimes prosecutions Because Covington already faces a crime charge and that under the Utah Penal Code, a hate crime is only prosecuted in crime cases.
"It boils my blood," said Veronica Lopez. "There is no other way to describe it – it was a hate crime."
Prosecutors allege that Covington, who is homeless, reportedly entered Lopez Tires, 1647 S. Main St., around 9:30 am, according to court documents. Tuesday and hit Luis and José Lopez with a metal pipe. He then fled, after telling one of the men: "I will come back and I will kill the rest of you", but was quickly apprehended by the police, according to court documents.
Dortha Taylor, of West Valley City, said she heard the ruckus before seeing two men chasing each other in the street. She said she then saw Luis Lopez on the floor.
"He was beaten very hard, his eye was completely messed up, he was gurgling blood, he had an epileptic fit – it was really bad," she says. hold back tears. "I told the police that I thought he was dying."
Luis Lopez was rushed to a hospital in critical condition before being rehabilitated, said Salt Lake Police Detective Robert Ungricht. Veronica Lopez told KSL TV that her brother's cheekbone was "completely broken" and that he had been operated for three hours the day after the attack, where a titanium plate had been inserted.
Jose Lopez, Luis's father, received eight stitches on the arm where he was touched, while he was protecting his face and trying to take the hose in metal, said Veronica Lopez.
When police questioned Covington, he claimed that "the Mexican Mafia had been looking for him since 2008 and that he had gone to Lopez Tires to see if they knew anyone there was. in the Mexican mafia because "all know each other", according to a police affidavit in the indictment documents.He stated that he did not know any of the people that he had attacked in the store.
Covington also told the police that he was aware of the fact that the store's owners were Mexican, the affidavit said.
Veronica Lopez said that her brother and brother The father was warming up the breakfast when the man entered the store with a metal pipe.
"My brother asked him," How can I help? "The guy was like saying, 'Are you Mexican?' And my brother was like, 'What?'" She said.
She says that the man then asked him if he was in the Mexican Mafia and Luis Lopez asked the man to leave.
"(The man told him)" I'm here to kill a Mexican – I'm here to kill you guys, "she said.
The man then He began swinging a metal pole at different people in the store.The first swings missed people But, finally, he hit Luis Lopez in the face, she said.
Ungricht said Wednesday at KSL. com that Covington may be suffering from a "mental health crisis" at the time of the attack, adding that documents had been added to the police, stating that the police had used methamphetamine the same day. eve of the attack, whose heroin was in his possession, as well as a hatchet and addiction accessories.
Luis Lopez has a long way to go to recover. The GoFundMe page * was created last week to help cover the medical needs of his patient. already amassed $ 57,000 on his $ 2 million Goal 0 000.
The family also demands justice. Covington has a long history of police activities in Utah. In the past decade, he has been convicted of assault twice and charged with assault three times, as well as domestic violence, although these four cases were eventually dropped.
The records also show that, in the past three years, he has also been found guilty of possession of drugs, possession of drug and criminal trespass material, among other things.
The records show that he must appear for the first time in court on Wednesday.
Building on her criminal background, Veronica Lopez said she hoped the justice system would keep him out of the streets for as long as possible. She added that her family was worried that he would go back to the store and attack again someday.
"My brother was lucky not to be killed by Covington," she said.
Contribute: Andrew Adams, KSL TV
* KSL.com does not guarantee that the money deposited in the account will be used for the benefit of those designated as beneficiaries. If you plan to make a deposit on the account, you should consult your own advisors and proceed otherwise, at your own risk.
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