A man shot and left for dead on a Kearns street earlier this month has been upgraded from critical to serious condition but still faces a long recovery, police say.
Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal said the victim remained in an unspecified hospital Friday but had improved and was expected to recover from a gunshot wound to the head suffered earlier this month.
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On Thursday, prosecutors filed charges in the case against Billy Lee Rohwedder, 33, of West Valley City. Third District Court documents show he faces counts of first-degree felony attempted murder, or the alternative charges of first-degree felony discharge of a firearm with serious bodily injury; third-degree felony obstruction of justice; and second-degree felony possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person.
On Feb. 9, UPD officers responded to a 911 call from passers-by who saw the victim lying in a pool of blood on the street near 4520 W. 4865 South. Court documents state that the bullet entered the right side of the man’s head and exited from the left side. Police found a used shell casing near the man and some broken glass.
Six blocks away officers found the victim’s car parked on a sidewalk on the wrong side of the road. The driver’s side door window was broken, and blood was inside the car.
A witness said they had seen Rohwedder driving the car before the victim was found, prosecutors say.
The victim later told detectives that he only remembered driving the car, with Rohwedder as the passenger, before being shot.
UPD is withholding the victim’s identity for his safety as the investigation continues.
In 1995, Rohwedder pleaded guilty to third-degree felony assault by a prisoner and attempted escape from official custody, court records show.
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