Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Utah Dad Punishes Teenage Daughter with ‘Waterboarding' | Crime Alert 6AM 02.13.2026

Episode Date: February 13, 2026

A county Republican Party chairman in Utah was arrested Wednesday after he repeatedly dunked his teenage daughter’s head in a bathroom sink because didn’t clean her room to his specifications before going out with friends. A California man accused of intentionally driving into a group of children and parents conducting a youth baseball fundraiser outside a Truckee grocery store. A 48-year-old Tennessee man has been arrested after he allegedly uploaded hundreds of files of child rape material. Police in Pennsylvania issued a summons last week for a Maryland woman involved in a road rage crash with a motorcycle in Upper Allen Township. Sydney Sumner reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Crime alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney Sumner. A county Republican Party chairman in Utah was arrested Wednesday and charged with aggravated child abuse after he repeatedly dunked his teenage daughter's head in a bathroom sink because she didn't clean her room to his specifications before going out with friends.

A police report says that Wasatch County officials, received a report on January 21st from the Division of Child and Family Services that the girl had told them she did not feel safe in her home and expressed fear for her life. The girl told child advocates David Nephi Johnson, 54, punished her when she came back home, telling them her father, grabbed her by the back of her neck, took her into the bathroom while the sink was filling with water. And took her into the bathroom while the sink was filling with water. She said that Johnson dunked her head under, brought it out, splashed water in her face, then dunked her head under again. The girl also said there had been other incidents in which her siblings were abused, including a younger brother whom Johnson took him into the bathroom and forced

his head under the water. She said Johnson pulled her brother from under the water, splashed water on his face and nose, knocked him down, and repeated the act again multiple times. The girl told investigators, I don't feel very safe. When I go to bed, I feel like I can't sleep because I don't feel safe. When my dad's not home, I feel fine. But when he's home, I never feel safe because I feel like something's going to happen. Johnson is the Wasatch County Republican Party chairman. The party's executive committee released a statement saying, quote, the safety and well-being of children are paramount importance to our party and our community. We are deeply concerned and troubled by the nature of the state. of the allegations brought forward by the Heber City Police Department. The Wasatch County GOP Executive Committee met in an emergency session. In accordance with our bylaws, Vice Chair Patty Sprunt will temporarily assume leadership to ensure the party continues its work for the residents of the county without interruption. The committee said no evidence had been presented so far and that the community should refrain from judgment. Johnson was arrested on Tuesday and booked

into the Wasatch County Jail. More crime and justice news. after this. A California man behind bars this week accused of intentionally driving into a group of children and parents conducting a youth baseball fundraiser outside a trucky grocery store. Jonathan Marr, 49, faces eight counts

of attempted murder and multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon, with several sentencing enhancements. Nevada County District Attorney Jetsy Wilson commented, the allegations that this act was intentional and directed at kids is hard to comprehend. Our office will work through the criminal justice process, and if the evidence supports the charges, do everything we can to the fullest extent of the law to hold this individual

accountable, send a clear message that this behavior has no place in society, and protect the public from further harm. The 12 U. Tahoe Titans were outside a Safeway store, raising money for an upcoming trip to Cooperstown All-Star Village in New York when Marr drove into the group. Three players, three parents, and a player's sibling were injured. Some of the athletes were counting the crash to KCR3. I heard it like two seconds before, or half a second before I got hit. You got hit by a car. Yeah, I did.

And I just remember getting pulled out of a rebel. Jamie DeWitt, a parent of one of the players, said the moments leading up to the attack were odd. Put a cigarette out on one of our signs and walked into the store. He came back out and gave us a terrible look. and mumbled something we don't know. He had hit us from behind with his truck and sent us through the building. Court records show that Marr has a lengthy criminal history. A 48-year-old Tennessee man has been arrested after he allegedly uploaded hundreds of files

of child rape material. Court documents show that Michael Francis uploaded 539 images in 145 videos between May 11, 2024 and October 15, 24. Google made the initial report, but it went through multiple channels before it was sent to the Memphis Police Department. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Google provided Francis's name as the one the user provided, as well as two verified phone numbers, both belonging to Francis. Additionally, the user uploaded non-pornographic images and videos during the same time period that were self-produced, and they matched known photos of Francis. Francis was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and is being held on a $75,000 bond. He is scheduled for a bond review later

today. Police in Pennsylvania issued a summons last week for a Maryland woman involved in a road rage crash with a motorcycle in Upper Allen Township. The motorcycle was driven by a man and carrying an eight-year-old girl. According to Upper Allen Police, a Honda Accord struck the rear of the motorcycle during a road rage incident on October 11, 2025. Police identified the driver. of the accord as 23-year-old Amia Steele, who they said fled the crash scene, only to have her vehicle become disabled a short time later. She was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, and reckless driving. At the time, police said they were investigating a road rage incident involving three motorcycles

in a black Honda Accord and asked for information from anyone that may have been in the area and witnessed these vehicles and their behavior. They provided no further information, on the case other than to say Steele appeared for a preliminary hearing last Thursday and was bound over to county court. They did not provide any information about any injury suffered by the man or the little girl involved in the incident and no local media appeared to have asked. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, be sure to follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney Sumner.