A Utah man recently released from a halfway house early over concerns of a COVID-19 spread forcibly broke into a woman’s home and attempted to rob her at knifepoint, threatening to kill her if she didn’t cooperate, police said.
According to the arrest affidavit, Joshua Haskell, 42, committed the alleged crime only days after being released from Utah State Prison, where he was incarcerated for violating parole. He had been sent to a halfway house as a part of the Parole Violation Program but “due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, he was suddenly released” on March 17, two days before the break-in.
Police also reported that Haskell has a lengthy criminal history that includes at least four previous drug-related convictions. At the time of his arrest, Haskell reportedly also had an active warrant out for his arrest for misdemeanor theft.
According to police, Haskell “forcibly entered [the woman’s] home … [and] using a large, serrated knife, he threatened the homeowner and tied her up with shoelaces.”
Haskell entered the home while the woman was sleeping, and she told police that she woke to the noise from him climbing the stairs. Before she could react, Haskell was in her room holding a knife “raised toward his head with the knife pointing down.” – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --