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West Jordan man accused of attacking a teen driver in 2015 was acquitted of assault, but sentenced to jail on lesser counts

Malcolm Wayne Mcelyea, 53, went on trial in January, where a 3rd District Court jury found him not guilty of the four counts of third-degree felony aggravated assault with which he’d been originally charged.

But the jury convicted Mcelyea of reckless driving and giving false information to a police officer, both class B misdemeanors.

Prosecutors dismissed a class A misdemeanor count of child abuse during the trial, as well as an infraction of driving without a vehicle registration.

The aggravated assault charges were filed as a result of Mcelyea allegedly using his vehicle to ram the teen’s SUV, prosecutors said Wednesday, and the child abuse charge was a result of Mcelyea allegedly tackling the teen.