A 34-year-old motorcyclist has been arrested after authorities say he shot and wounded an 18-year-old woman in a car earlier this month while both were traveling on Interstate 15.
The shooting unfolded at about 2:10 p.m. on June 5, near the Layton Hills Mall in Davis County. According to a probable cause statement, the motorcyclist was seen brandishing a handgun as he chased after a car northbound on the interstate. The man then fired about four times at the car before speeding off, according to a witness, who provided Clearfield police with dash camera video of the shooting.
The driver of the car, an 18-year-old woman, was shot twice in the face. She was taken to McKay-Dee Hospital, where she underwent surgery. The victim suffered “permanent damage and disfigurement to her teeth and lips,” according to police.
Police did not state in arresting documents what the motive for the shooting may have been, but in a news release, the Utah Department of Public Safety referred to the shooting as a “road rage incident.”
Surveillance cameras tracked gunman
Shortly after the shooting, the motorcyclist was seen on multiple surveillance cameras “traveling in a calm and normal driving manner” in Clearfield, Clinton and Roy, according to the probable cause statement.
Cameras at Emma Russell Park, located at 4300 W. 5700 South in Roy, then showed him and his passenger entering the park about 15 minutes after the shooting, where both got off the motorcycle, the document states.
Minutes later, the suspect drove off alone, and the passenger was picked up by a red pickup truck.
Police identified the motorcycle as a Harley-Davidson Street Glide, and a search of registered vehicles of that type turned up a married couple who live near the park and own both that make and model of motorcycle and a red pickup truck.
According to the probable cause statement, the residents of that home matched the descriptions of the two people on the motorcycle when the shooting occurred. After obtaining a warrant, agents with the State Bureau of Investigation and other authorities searched the home and found a gun “matching the appearance and capability of firing rounds similar to those recovered” at the shooting scene, along with ammunition, clothing, a helmet and a vest that “match the descriptions and videos of the shooting.”
The man arrested “has affiliations to a known local motorcycle gang,” according to authorities. He was booked into Davis County jail, where he is being held without bail on suspicion of attempted murder, felony discharge of a firearm and obstruction of justice.
The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name defendants unless they have been charged with a crime.
Shooting followed separate road rage crash
In a news release, the Department of Public Safety said the wounded woman and her family “expressed their gratitude” after authorities and a victim advocate notified them of the arrest.
“Our thoughts are with the victim during their recovery process,” the release states.
The shooting happened a day after two people were killed in a road rage crash in Eagle Mountain. Authorities in that case said the people killed were not involved in the initial road rage conflict, but were fatally struck when the aggressor lost control of his vehicle. The 30-year-old suspect was later charged with manslaughter and reckless driving.
“In light of recent aggravated road rage incidents, this emphasizes the need for all drivers to maintain control of their emotions,” DPS officials advised in a statement.
Anyone who sees a person driving in an aggressive or dangerous manner may call 911 to report it and should not try to handle the road rage situation themselves, authorities advised.
“Separate yourself from dangerous driving behavior and be a good witness; our ultimate goal is always public safety,” the statement read.