Smithfield man sentenced to prison for burning young boys with chemicals

Jason Summers, right, sits next to his lawyer Shannon Demler, while listening to his victims' father testify in 1st District Court, during his sentencing hearing for felony child abuse on Tuesday. Summers received a sentence of 1 to 15 years for throwing a chemical on two children burning them (Eli Lucero/Court Pool).

LOGAN — A 33-year-old Smithfield man has been sentenced to between one-and-15-years in prison, after being convicted of burning two young boys with a chemical last summer and other crimes. Jason Summers showed no emotion and looked straight forward as Judge Brian Cannell ordered him to serve the maximum sentence for each of the four cases.

Summers was sentenced Tuesday morning in 1st District Court. He previously pleaded guilty to two counts of child abuse and one count of burglary, all second-degree felonies; one count of forgery, a third-degree felony; and, a charge of misdemeanor drug possession.

In June, Summers approached two-boys and threw a chemical-like substance on them. The five-year-old had minor burns on his back. The three-year-old sustained more severe burns to his face, eyes and chest. Both had to be hospitalized for treatment.

Summers later tried to flee several times from officers before being arrested, including jumping out of an officer’s patrol car near 400 N. Main Street in Logan.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, Summers read a brief statement. He said he wanted to apologize for his reckless behavior and beg for forgiveness.

“First, I would like to apologize for who I hurt through my reckless behavior, I am truly sorry to each and every one of you,” he said. “I wish I could go back in time and change what happened. Second, I want to beg for forgiveness to those I hurt. I vow to make amends for my wrongs and right them. Lastly, I promise that I will never again act in such a manner and hurt innocent people. I will get the help I need, so that I may make the amends to those that I have wronged. Please give me the chance to make things right.”

Outside the courtroom, Clayton Coulam, the boy’s father, said he did not want to relive anymore the details of what happened. He explained that Summers abused the boys over a long period of time, while he lived next door.

Our kids were tortured, it’s hard to relive it and we just ask the public to be sensitive to our situation,” explained Coulam. “We appreciate the care and love that we have received this far. I hope that our boys will heal, and that we can give them a summer this year that they didn’t have last year.”

During the sentencing, Cache County deputy attorney Barbara Lachmar explained how Summers terrorized the victims to the point they installed cameras around their home. She said the defendant was dangerous and noted how he was previously convicted of shooting at another neighbor, after trying to break into a LDS chapel.

Judge Cannell said that he had a role to protect society and especially little children. He ordered all of the sentences to run concurrently, and expressed hope that the prison parole board would keep Summers in prison for at least ten years.

Outside the courtroom, Coulam said his boys are healing physically but still have psychological trauma. A GoFundMe account has been set up by the family to help raise money for the boy’s medical costs, www.gofundme.com/travis-and-hayden-coulam-fundraiser.


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