Man opposed to Little Cottonwood gondola admits harassing UDOT manager

A 26-year-old Riverton man allegedly upset with plans to build a gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon has admitted to harassing a member of the Utah Department of Transportation.

The man entered a guilty plea in abeyance on Wednesday in Taylorsville Justice Court to electronic communication harassment, a class B misdemeanor.

On July 12, 2023, UDOT released its final record of decision on the proposed gondola project up Little Cottonwood Canyon, which is considered the final step in the environmental impact statement.

Later that day, UDOT's project manager for the Little Cottonwood Canyon environmental project received a message on his personal Facebook page stating "Watch your back," adding an expletive about the gondola, according to charging documents. The employee was working in the Calvin Rampton Complex, 4501 S. 2700 West, at the time he received the message.

The building is also the headquarters for the Utah Department of Public Safety, whose investigators were able to identify the man who sent the message.

As part of his plea deal, the man must pay a fine, have no contact with the UDOT employee and not pick up any new charges for a year.