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ROY — One of two students who allegedly planned to bomb Roy High School was charged Friday with use of a weapon of mass destruction.
Dallin Morgan, 18, was charged with the first-degree felony Friday in Ogden's 2nd District Court. An initial court date is set for Feb. 1.
Morgan is accused of plotting to bomb the school with fellow student Joshua Hoggan, 16. No charges have been filed against Hoggan, who had been taken to a juvenile facility.
Roy High student Bailey Gerhardt told her mother that she "knew part of what (Hoggan) was going to do, but she didn't think he was gutsy enough to carry it out," Dianna Gerhardt said Friday. The two former friends now have limited interaction.
Because of the things he's done and the things he's told us he did as a kid, she's still afraid there is something there, that the police overlooked at the school.
–Dianna Gerhardt
"Because of the things he's done and the things he's told us he did as a kid, she's still afraid there is something there, that the police overlooked at the school," she said.
Joshua Hoggan, 16, allegedly drove erratically with Bailey and another friend in a vehicle in October. Gerhardt said her daughter was afraid for her life at that time.
"He did a lot of things a normal kid would not do. Like studying Columbine. I mean, who would do that?" she said.
Columbine High School Principal Frank DeAngelis confirmed Friday that he met with the 16-year-old Hoggan on Dec. 12, after Hoggan told him he was doing a story for his school newspaper about the 1999 shooting incident.
DeAngelis said he gets a lot of requests from students researching the shootings. He didn't see anything unusual with Hoggan's request. DeAngelis said Hoggan asked common questions, including details, the aftermath and steps taken since then to protect the school.
Hoggan, who is an editor at Roy High's student newspaper, never published an article regarding Columbine.
No trespass orders were delivered to the homes of the two seniors accused in the bomb plot, 18-year-old Dallin Morgan, as well as Hoggan. The two individuals are temporarily suspended from school until further notice, according to Weber County School District spokesman Nate Taggart.
Immediate action was taken to secure Roy High School and clear it of any potential threats. ...No items were discovered and Roy High is in session as normal.
–Gina Butters, Roy High principal
Taggart said it is protocol to issue the orders and both students will have the opportunity in the coming weeks to appear before school officials to explain themselves.
School was in session Friday, although many parents and students remained upset about the week's events. A letter from district officials was sent to parents at various times Thursday, informing them that law enforcement was investigating the threats and any potential harm to students.
"Immediate action was taken to secure Roy High School and clear it of any potential threats," Roy High Principal Gina Butters said in the letter. She mentioned that multiple agencies, including Weber County Bomb Disposal Unit, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and K-9 units from around northern Utah were involved in the ongoing investigation.
"No items were discovered and Roy High is in session as normal."
Gerhardt said her daughter was "shaken up bad about this," and begged to not have to go to school Friday.
Morgan was booked into the Weber County Jail on Wednesday evening, but was released less than three hours later, according to booking documents. The use of a weapon of mass destruction charge accuses Morgan of possessing, displaying, attempting to use, soliciting the use of, or conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction or that he assisted, encouraged or solicited someone else to do the same.
It is unclear whether Hoggan, a juvenile, remained in custody in the Weber Valley Detention Center Friday.
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Written by Wendy Leonard with contributions from Mike Anderson.
