New Bodycam Footage Emerges
Newly released police bodycam footage captures reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul, 27, in a heated exchange with an officer during her 2023 arrest in Herriman, Utah. The video reveals Paul, visibly intoxicated and emotional, challenging the officer’s authority while slurring her words.
The footage begins on her front porch amid a tense interview. Paul demands her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen come outside, insisting, ‘This is my house.’ She interrupts the officer repeatedly, marches inside, and confronts Mortensen, telling him, ‘Get out of my house.’
Tense Interaction Inside the Home
Inside, Paul grabs water, dials her father for help, and sobs, ‘Dad, please come to my house. Dakota pushed me in my garage.’ The officer urges her to calm down, noting her high intoxication level and reminding her to keep quiet for her sleeping children, including her five-year-old daughter Indy on the nearby sofa.
Paul questions the officer’s personal life, asking if he has kids, and challenges his assessment of her sobriety. She rates herself at a ‘two out of 10’ intoxication but mispronounces ‘breathalyzer’ before correcting herself. She accuses Mortensen of pushing her and claims the officer lacks empathy.
The video ends as Paul heads to the bathroom after apologizing to her sleeping child.
Background of the February 17 Incident
Police responded to a domestic violence call at Paul’s Utah home. Mortensen told officers he picked her up from a girls’ night out, where she was heavily intoxicated. He refused to take her to a concert, leading to her rage. Paul threw metal chairs, a phone, and a wooden playset at him, damaging walls and his truck. One chair accidentally struck Indy’s head.
Mortensen, a recovering addict, explained they had agreed to avoid alcohol, but Paul exploded due to personal struggles amplified by drinking. He provided cellphone video of the chair hitting Indy and admitted pushing her to leave but identified her as the primary aggressor. Officers noted a strong alcohol odor and observed scattered chairs and items.
Arrest and Charges
Paul admitted going ‘ballistic,’ throwing objects, and wetting herself from fear. Initially charged with misdemeanors, charges escalated after evidence review to two counts of third-degree felony domestic violence in the presence of a child with injury, a Class A misdemeanor child abuse with injury, and a Class B misdemeanor criminal mischief. Conviction could mean up to five years per felony.
During arrest, Paul questioned why Mortensen faced no charges despite his push. Her parents arrived for the children; her mother called it domestic violence. Paul later took social media breaks but shared updates on therapy, Zoloft for depression and anxiety, and time with Mortensen’s family.
Paul’s Rise to Fame
Known from The Bachelorette and Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Paul boasts over 4 million TikTok followers. She shares family life with children Indy, 5, and Ocean, 2, from ex-husband Tate. Last summer, she revealed their divorce stemmed from a ‘soft swinging’ incident. She began dating Mortensen afterward; her next court date is April 14.
