SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A northern Utah man who was arrested for shooting at a suspected burglar who was fleeing his property has apologized during a plea deal hearing for taking matters into his own hands.
Clare Niederhauser of Layton on Tuesday agreed to a deal that includes a lessened charge of a class B misdemeanor discharge of weapon. He also agreed to pay a $700 fee, take a weapons class and forfeit the weapon he used, a .357 caliber handgun.
Police arrested the 64-year-old Niederhauser on Jan. 31 after he fired two rounds at fleeing burglars. No one was hurt, but police say the shots were unlawful because the burglar was fleeing Niederhauser's property. Police say the shots could have endangered somebody's life.
Niederhauser says he should have known better than to fire the shots.
