DUCHESNE — A man accused of killing his father in Duchesne and fleeing to Grand Junction last year has been returned to Utah after Colorado prosecutors dropped 22 charges stemming from his run from the law.
James Main Jr., 34, was returned to Utah last week and was scheduled to face an initial appearance in 8th District Court Monday morning. He is charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense, in the death of his father, James Main Sr., 56.
According to police, Main's father called police Oct. 28 reporting that his son had just stolen his gun, a Stoeger 357 revolver, from his home at 27049 W. U.S. 40 and fled into the mountainous area nearby.
James Main Sr. told police his son "was acting crazy and sprayed him with a fire extinguisher and then threatened to stab his truck tire," a police affidavit states.
The next day, Roosevelt police responded to a call of shots fired at 325 N. Bonnie Drive, where officers were told James Main Jr. had abducted a man and a woman at gunpoint from their home, then forced them to drive him in their car to that location.
The man and the woman broke free after a physical altercation with Main at the home on Bonnie Drive, the affidavit states. During the altercation, a resident at the home wrestled a gun later identified as a Stoeger 357 revolver away from Main, police said.
The man who was abducted told police that "James had been bragging to him that he had just shot his father," the affidavit states. Police returned to the home of James Main Sr. and found him dead from two gunshot wounds. Two spent .357-caliber shell casings were located.
A manhunt began and Main was arrested Oct. 30 in Grand Junction, Colorado, after police say he led officers on two high-speed chases; broke into a woman's home to change his clothes, then forced her to leave with him in her car; crashed another stolen car; and stole a bicycle.
Bo Zeerip, deputy district attorney in Mesa County, Colorado, said Main faced 22 charges in the alleged crime spree leading to his capture, including 13 felonies.
Zeerip said he dismissed the charges against Main so that he could be extradited to Utah, but he intends to refile the case sometime in the next several weeks.
"I only dismissed it so that Utah would be able to come get him and bring him back there to face the murder charges," Zeerip said. "Because of a quirk, if I have pending charges here, Utah can't come take him."
Once Zeerip refiles the case in Colorado, a hold will be placed on Main so that he can be returned to Mesa County once the Utah case concludes.
The felony charges originally filed against Main included allegations of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, felony menacing, motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, attempted robbery, criminal mischief and burglary of a dwelling, according to Zeerip.
Main now faces a number of charges in Utah.
In addition to the aggravated murder charge, Main faces first-degree felony charges of attempted aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated robbery and two counts of aggravated burglary.
Main is also charged with firearm offenses, including possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; felony discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony; and having a loaded firearm in a vehicle or prohibited area, a class B misdemeanor. He also faces two class B misdemeanor counts of assault.