Summary5 min read

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Utah Dad Punishes Teenage Daughter with ‘Waterboarding' | Crime Alert 6AM 02.13.2026

Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Crime Stories Team (Sydney Sumner reporting)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

Episode Overview

This episode presents a roundup of the day’s most alarming crime news, led by the breaking and deeply disturbing case of David Nephi Johnson, a Utah county Republican Party chairman, who is charged with aggravated child abuse after allegations he “waterboarded” his teenage daughter as punishment. The podcast then shifts to other major crime alerts across the United States, including a vehicle attack at a youth baseball fundraiser in California, a Tennessee man’s large-scale child exploitation case, and a Pennsylvania road rage crash involving a child.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Utah 'Waterboarding' Child Abuse Case

[00:00 - 03:00]

Incident: David Nephi Johnson, 54, Wasatch County Republican Party chairman, is arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse.
Allegations: Johnson allegedly punished his teenage daughter for not cleaning her room by forcibly dunking her head under water multiple times in a bathroom sink.
- The daughter described persistent fear:
  
  "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." — [00:59]
Pattern of Behavior: Daughter also reported previous incidents where siblings, especially her younger brother, suffered similar abuse.
- Allegation details: 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.” [00:42]
Impact: The girl communicated to child advocates and police that she fears for her life.
- “She did not feel safe in her home and expressed fear for her life.” — [00:16]
Political Ramifications: Wasatch County GOP executive committee held an emergency session.
- Vice Chair Patty Sprunt is to temporarily assume leadership.
- Official statement:
  
  “The safety and well-being of children are of paramount importance to our party and our community. We are deeply concerned and troubled by the nature of the allegations...” — [01:54]
- “No evidence had been presented so far and that the community should refrain from judgment.” — [02:10]
Status: Johnson was arrested Tuesday and booked into county jail.
- Investigation is ongoing; community reaction is mixed.

2. California Youth Fundraiser Vehicle Attack

[03:00 - 05:00]

Incident: Jonathan Marrer, 49, intentionally drives into a group at a youth baseball fundraiser in Truckee, CA.
- Eight counts of attempted murder, multiple assault charges.
Victims: Three young players, three parents, and a sibling injured at the 12U Tahoe Titans’ fundraiser outside a Safeway store.
- Survivor’s account:
  
  “I heard it like 2 seconds before or half a second before I got hit... I just remember getting pulled out of rubble.” — Unnamed Youth [03:56]
Motive and Behavior: Prior to the attack, Marrer allegedly stubbed out a cigarette on a team sign and acted agitated.
- Parent Jamie DeWitt recounted:
  
  “He 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.” — [04:12]
Legal Context: DA Jesse Wilson:
- “The allegations that this act was intentional and directed at kids is hard to comprehend... will do everything we can to the fullest extent of the law to hold this individual accountable...” — [03:33]
Background: Marrer has lengthy criminal record.

3. Tennessee Man Charged with Large-Scale Child Exploitation

[05:00 - 06:00]

Incident: Michael Francis allegedly uploaded 539 images and 145 videos of child rape material from May to October 2024.
- Google’s automated system detected and reported him.
Case Evidence: Francis linked by user data and self-produced, identifiable media files.
Legal Proceedings: Charged with sexual exploitation of a minor. Held on $75,000 bond, with a hearing scheduled.

4. Pennsylvania Road Rage Motorcycle Assault

[06:00 - 07:30]

Incident: Amya Steele, 23, charged after striking a motorcycle (driven by a man carrying his eight-year-old daughter) with her Honda Accord during a road rage incident.
- After hitting the motorcycle, she fled but her car later broke down.
Charges: Aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, and reckless driving.
Context: Event involved three motorcycles and a black Accord; facing preliminary court hearing.
Injuries: No details given on injuries to victims.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Victim's Fear:

“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.”
— Teenage victim (Utah case), [00:59]
Community Statement:

“The safety and well-being of children are of paramount importance to our party and our community. We are deeply concerned and troubled by the nature of the allegations...”
— Wasatch County GOP Executive Committee, [01:54]
District Attorney’s Resolve:

“The allegations that this act was intentional and directed at kids is hard to comprehend... [We will] do everything we can to the fullest extent of the law to hold this individual accountable...”
— Jesse Wilson, Nevada County District Attorney [03:33]
Aftermath of California Attack:

“I just remember getting pulled out of rubble.”
— Injured youth, [03:56]
Parent’s Suspicion Preceding Attack:

“He 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.”
— Jamie DeWitt, parent, [04:12]

Timestamps for Major Segments

Utah Waterboarding Case Details: 00:00 – 03:00
California Youth Fundraiser Vehicle Attack: 03:00 – 05:00
Tennessee Child Exploitation Charges: 05:00 – 06:00
Pennsylvania Road Rage Assault: 06:00 – 07:30

Tone & Style

The reporting is direct, urgent, and sensitive, respecting victims’ statements and emphasizing the severity of these criminal incidents. The language is descriptive but avoids graphic or sensationalized details. The tone throughout is serious and empathetic, echoing Nancy Grace’s championing of victims’ voices and justice.

Summary

This episode of “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” delivers a harrowing roundup of crimes, led by the deeply unsettling Utah child abuse case involving an alleged “waterboarding” punishment. Listeners hear firsthand the victim’s fear and the subsequent political fallout. The episode continues with a chilling attack on children at a baseball fundraiser, a major child exploitation arrest, and reckless endangerment in a multi-vehicle road rage incident. Quotes from authorities, survivors, and family members provide powerful, authentic context to each segment.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
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This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human Crime Alert Hourly Update Breaking crime news Now. I'm Sydney Sumner. A county Republican Party chairman in Utah was arrested Wednesday and charged with aggravated child abuse after he repeatedly dumped 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 21 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, they 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 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 Truckee grocery store. Jonathan Marrer, 49, faces eight counts of attempted murder and multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon, with several sentencing enhancements Nevada County District Attorney Jesse 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 12U Tahoe Titans were outside a Safeway store raising money for an upcoming trip to Cooperstown All Star Village in New York when Mara drove into the group. Three players, three parents and a player's sibling were injured. Some of the athletes recounting the crash to KCRA 3 I heard it like 2 seconds before or half a second before I got hit. You got hit by a car? Yeah, yeah I did and I just remember getting pulled out of rubble. 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 Mara 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 and 145 videos between May 11, 2024 and October 15, 2024. Google made the initial report, but it went through multiple channels before it was sent to the Memphis Police Department. According to According to an affidavit filed in the case, Google provided Frances name as the one the user provided as well as two verified phone numbers, both belonging to Frances. Additionally, the user uploaded non pornographic images and videos during the same time period that were self produced and they matched known photos of Frances. Frances was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and is being held on the $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 Amya 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 Steel 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 Sydney Sumner.