An Ogden man with a history of conflicts with his neighbors now faces serious felony charges after allegedly chasing them through their yard while wielding a large blade weapon.
Taggart Anderton, 67, was arrested following a Saturday incident in which neighbors reported he pursued them with a machete from their parking area to their front door in the 1900 South block of 1275 East.
Weekend Incident Details
Deputies from the Ogden City Police Department responded to emergency calls from neighbors who reported Anderton had threatened them with a weapon outside their residence. According to charging documents, witnesses observed him swinging the object in their yard before the chase occurred.
Video evidence captured by the victims shows Anderton moving through the backyard and wooded area behind their property while holding the machete. None of the individuals reported physical contact or injuries from the blade.
Law enforcement subsequently executed a search of Anderton’s residence, where they recovered a machete featuring a blade measuring between 14 and 16 inches in length. The weapon matched descriptions provided by the witnesses.
Criminal Charges Filed
Prosecutors filed multiple charges against Anderton reflecting both the immediate incident and his history of similar behavior with the same neighbors. He faces two counts of aggravated assault classified as third-degree felonies, stalking with two or more prior convictions classified as a second-degree felony, and trespassing charged as a class B misdemeanor.
The stalking charge elevation to second-degree felony status stems from Anderton’s previous convictions for similar conduct, demonstrating a pattern of threatening behavior toward the victims.
Anderton is currently detained without bail pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Tuesday. The denial of bail reflects judicial concerns about potential danger to the community and victims specifically.
Pattern of Incidents
Police booking affidavit documents indicate Anderton has been involved in multiple previous incidents involving these same neighbors. Law enforcement notes in the affidavit express concern about his apparent mental health condition and relief that the weekend confrontation did not result in physical harm or death.
Court records show Anderton recently pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor stalking counts on October 29 as part of a plea agreement. Those charges stemmed from a September 5 confrontation with neighbors near his Ogden residence. Sentencing in that case is scheduled for December 17.
The pattern of repeated conflicts with the same individuals suggests ongoing tensions that have escalated over time rather than isolated incidents.
Serious Criminal History
Beyond the recent stalking cases, Anderton carries a significant violent criminal history from earlier years. In 2009, he was convicted in 8th District Court in Vernal on charges of kidnapping classified as a first-degree felony and attempted forcible sexual abuse classified as a third-degree felony.
Those convictions stemmed from a March 19, 2009 incident documented in court records. The serious nature of those prior offenses likely influences prosecutorial charging decisions and bail determinations in the current case.
Legal Proceedings Ahead
Anderton will make his initial court appearance before Weber County judicial authorities where he will be formally advised of charges and enter initial pleas. Given his representation by counsel, preliminary hearing scheduling and discovery processes will follow standard criminal procedure timelines.
The aggravated assault charges carry potential sentences of up to five years imprisonment for each count as third-degree felonies. The stalking charge as a second-degree felony carries potential sentences of one to fifteen years imprisonment.
Prosecutors will need to prove that Anderton intentionally placed victims in reasonable fear of imminent bodily injury through his actions and that the weapon involved created circumstances elevating simple assault to aggravated assault classification.
Defense counsel may explore mental health defenses or mitigation strategies given law enforcement observations about Anderton’s apparent psychological condition. However, mental illness does not automatically provide legal defense to criminal charges absent specific competency or insanity standards being met.
Community Safety Concerns
The incident highlights challenges law enforcement and judicial systems face when addressing individuals who repeatedly engage in threatening behavior toward specific victims. While previous misdemeanor resolutions may have attempted to address the conflicts, the escalation to machete threats demonstrates those interventions proved insufficient.
Neighbors living in proximity to individuals with histories of threatening conduct face difficult circumstances balancing their right to peaceful enjoyment of property with awareness that repeated police contacts may escalate tensions rather than resolve them.
Restraining orders and no-contact provisions accompanying criminal cases provide legal protection but require enforcement and compliance that may not occur in practice, particularly when mental health factors contribute to inappropriate behavior patterns.
The case underscores the intersection of criminal justice responses and mental health system gaps that leave some individuals cycling through arrests without receiving treatment addressing underlying conditions driving problematic behavior.
