SALT LAKE CITY — A Kearns man is accused of threatening to kill his co-worker and dismember his children.
Juan Manuel Villa-Tafolla, 24, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.
On July 16, Tafolla was getting a ride from his co-worker when he became upset with the man and started threatening him, according to charging documents.
Tafolla took the co-worker’s cellphone and threw it out the window, then put a knife to his throat and told him “he was going to kill him and his children. Tafolla said he was going to dismember (the co-worker’s) children in front of him and make (the co-worker) watch,” the charges state.
Tafolla told the co-worker to drive to a particular location, which the co-worker believed he was being made to “drive to an area where Tafolla would kill him,” according to charging documents.
When the co-worker drove by a business with people, he jumped out of the moving car, the charges state. Tafolla took over the driver’s seat and kept going.
Prosecutors have requested Tafolla be held on $100,000 bail.