A man in Tooele City, Utah, is currently behind bars after a violent road rage incident. Allegedly, he rammed an individual with a vehicle shortly after a heated argument, pinning him between two vehicles in the process. As a result, he faces attempted murder charges, among other serious ones.
As reported by ABC4, citing an arrest statement, the incident occurred on Thursday, May 14. At the time, the Tooele City Police Department (TCPD) was informed of a hit and run at a Holiday Oil, a local gas station and convenience store located near 600 N and Main Street.
The victim told authorities that he had spilled a drink in his vehicle and had pulled over at the station to clean it up. It is unclear what exactly happened before this, with some believing a previous confrontation between both parties had occurred.
At one point, however, another driver, identified as 31-year-old Marco Fred David Chavez, pulled over right next to the victim, the statement said. A heated verbal altercation took place, and Chavez drove away in his blue Mazda.
Victim Seriously Injured
The victim went back to cleaning his vehicle and stood behind the driver’s door. However, moments later, Chavez allegedly returned and rammed his Mazda against the victim.
The victim was pinned between the two vehicles, the statement revealed. He suffered from multiple non-life-threatening injuries to the jaw, shoulder, and arm as a result.
Meanwhile, Chavez was accused of driving off shortly after. Details such as the Mazda’s side window coming off, as well as a missing hubcap, proved vital to help identify the suspect. The police even shared photos of Chavez and his vehicle on social media, which ultimately led to his arrest.
Suspect Arrested, Charges
On May 19, five days after the incident, the TCPD managed to locate and arrest Chavez. Allegedly, he was the owner of the Mazda, and police said they found methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia items in his vehicle.
Marco Fred David Chavez is charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, second-degree aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance, and use of drug paraphernalia. If convicted, the attempted murder charge could land him in prison for the rest of his life.
Chavez was then booked into the Tooele County Jail. He is currently being held without bond. Additionally, the TCPD detailed that the Utah man had several active warrants at the time of his arrest, KUTV reported.
Past Utah Road Rage Incident
Also reported by ABC4, a road rage incident in St. George led to the arrest of 36-year-old Myron Ray Anderson. He faces aggravated assault charges after allegedly threatening and assaulting three minors,
Reportedly, local police officers responded to E Dinosaur Crossing Drive after being informed of a fight involving three juveniles and, allegedly, Anderson. Both parties, however, had fled the area.
Anderson then contacted the police and said that he had defended himself. However, footage shared by the teens allegedly showed the man driving in reverse toward the minors’ vehicle, threatening them with brass knuckles, and calling them racial slurs. The man was then arrested.