Utah motorcyclist arrested, charged with shooting an 18-year-old in the face during a frenzy on I-15

The woman who was shot suffered “permanent damage and disfigurement,” police said.

A 34-year-old motorcyclist was arrested after authorities said he shot and injured an 18-year-old woman in a car while they were traveling on Interstate 15 earlier this month.

The shooting happened around 2:10 p.m. on June 5 near Layton Hills Mall in Davis County. According to a probable cause statement, the motorcyclist was seen brandishing a pistol while chasing a car northbound on the freeway. The man then shot the car about four times before speeding away, according to a witness who provided Clearfield Police with dashcam 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. Police say the victim suffered “permanent damage and disfigurement to her teeth and lips.”

Police did not provide a motive for the shooting in the arrest documents, but in a press release, the Utah Department of Public Safety described the shooting as a “driving intoxication incident.”

Surveillance cameras followed the shooter

Shortly after the shooting, the motorcyclist was seen on multiple surveillance cameras in Clearfield, Clinton and Roy “riding calmly and normally,” the probable cause statement said.

Cameras at Emma Russell Park, 4300 W. 5700 South in Roy, then showed him and his passenger entering the park about 15 minutes after the shooting, where they both got off their motorcycles, the document said.

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 the type uncovered a couple who live near the park who own both the make and model motorcycle and a red pickup truck.

According to the probable cause statement, the descriptions of the two people on the motorcycle at the time of the shooting matched the descriptions given by the occupants of that home. After receiving an arrest warrant, agents from the State Bureau of Investigation and other agencies searched the home and found at the scene a gun “whose appearance and cartridge-firing ability matched those found,” along with ammunition, clothing, a helmet, etc a vest that “matches the descriptions and videos of the shooting.”

The arrested man “has ties to a known local motorcycle gang,” according to authorities. He was booked into the Davis County Jail, where he is being held without bail on suspicion of attempted murder, firing a firearm and obstructing justice.

The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name defendants unless they have been charged with a crime.

The shooting followed a separate traffic accident

In a press release, the Ministry of Public Security said the injured woman and her family “expressed their gratitude” after authorities and a victim advocate informed them of the arrest.

“Our thoughts are with the victim during the recovery process,” the press release said.

The shooting came a day after a traffic accident in Eagle Mountain killed two people. Authorities in this case said the people killed were not involved in the initial street clash but were fatally wounded when the attacker lost control of his vehicle. The 30-year-old suspect was later charged with manslaughter and reckless driving.

“With recent escalated incidents of road violence, this underscores the need for all drivers to keep their emotions under control,” DPS officials advised in a statement.

Anyone who sees a person driving aggressively or dangerously can call 911 to report it and should not attempt to deal with the road rage situation themselves, authorities advised.

“Remove dangerous driving behavior and be a good witness; Our ultimate goal is always public safety,” the statement said.