This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Layton man faces misdemeanor charges after firing his handgun twice during a confrontation with would-be burglars at his home.
Police say the 64-year-old man held one suspect at gunpoint, but two other suspects who sped away in a getaway car remained at large Friday.
Layton police Lt. Shawn Horton said the 47-year-old suspect in custody was being held without bail on suspicion of charges ranging from burglary and assault to speeding, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance.
The owner of a house near 2500 E. Gentile Road came home late Thursday afternoon to find the suspect trying to break in through the front door using a pry bar. The homeowner got a handgun from his car and confronted the suspect and ordered him to drop the tool.
Meanwhile, a 60-70 year old male suspect and a woman, 20-30 years old, backed out of the homeowner's driveway in a gray four-door car and fled the scene. The homeowner fired once at the vehicle, but Horton said it was not known whether the bullet hit the car.
Summoned by a 911 call, police soon arrived. When the gun-wielding homeowner's attention was diverted, the suspect ran into a nearby field. The homeowner fired once into the field before officers ordered him to put away his weapon.
Officers soon located the suspect and arrested him without further incident.
However, Horton said investigators determined that the homeowner's "decision to fire two shots with his handgun was reckless and created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person."
The homeowner was arrested and booked on two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, and then released pending further proceedings.
Layton police are asking anyone with information on the remaining two suspects in the case to call them at 801-497-8300.