A man was arrested in Uintah County after an incident of assault and driving recklessly over the weekend. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, officers were notified of an incident that occurred when 30-year-old James Dean Allen was traveling through the Ballard area driving in one vehicle while another adult and two children were in another vehicle caravaning with Allen towards Vernal. Allen, believed to be under the influence of methamphetamine, allegedly became paranoid and angry while driving and began trying to ram the other vehicle with his vehicle. About 5 miles outside Vernal, the vehicle carrying the adult and two children ran out of gas. Allen pulled over, pulled the other adult out of their vehicle and choked the individual until they were unable to breathe. Then Allen got a gas tank off his vehicle and added fuel to the other vehicle and they continued to their destination in Vernal. Eventually investigators were able to speak with Allen on the phone and he confirmed many details of the incident. Allen was located and booked into Uintah County Jail on the charges of Aggravated Assault, 2 counts of Domestic Violence in the Presence of a Child, Interference with a Communication Device, and Reckless Driving. Allen is being held on no bail and is scheduled for his initial appearance in court on December 12th.
