Provo, Utah, October 20, 2026 – A disturbance at the Utah County Planning Commission meeting resulted in one woman being booked into jail and two other people receiving citations during a discussion of proposed regulations for data centers.
The meeting, held at the Utah County Administration Building, addressed a proposed ordinance establishing where data centers could be built in unincorporated Utah County and the development requirements they would have to meet. The proposal included restrictions on water use, environmental impact assessments, public notification and development standards. Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend the ordinance for approval by the Utah County Commission, which will make the final decision.
According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, commissioners had warned attendees against disruptive behavior. Following the vote, deputies asked a man to leave, and he complied without being cited. Deputies then directed a woman, identified by media outlets as 27-year-old Aspen Azalea, to leave. The sheriff’s office said she argued with deputies and struck one deputy in the groin as he attempted to remove her from a row of chairs. Two other attendees grabbed the woman, and deputies removed all three from the meeting chamber.
In the lobby, a deputy took Azalea to the ground during the encounter. After she was handcuffed, she complained of jaw pain. Provo Fire Department emergency medical personnel evaluated her and reported no immediate or emergency injuries.
Azalea was booked into the Utah County Jail on allegations of disrupting a meeting, a Class A misdemeanor; interference with an arresting officer, a Class B misdemeanor; and assault on a police officer, a Class B misdemeanor. The other two attendees received citations for disrupting a meeting and interfering with an arrest.
