UTAH COUNTY, Utah, Dec. 20, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah County officials say a local man hit a school bus with his truck before carjacking another driver, going to a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then telling officers he was being chased by Satan.
Brant Jay Diediker, 40, is facing a slew of charges including three counts of first-degree felony takes/attempts an operable vehicle, 20 counts of third-degree felony aggravated assault, and one count of each third-degree felony damage of jails, class A misdemeanor possession of controlled substance marijuana/spice, class A misdemeanor failure to remain at an accident involving injury, class B misdemeanor driving with a measurable amount of a controlled substance and class B misdemeanor use or possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a probable cause statement from Utah County.
The statement said that on Wednesday at 3 p.m., Pleasant Grove Police Department officers were dispatched to a hit-and-run collision involving a school bus occupied by 20 children at 600 West and 1100 North.
The driver of the school bus told police that she saw the driver of a white Toyota Tundra — later identified as Diediker — hit the bus before running off the statement said.
The bus driver also reported that the Toyota struck the school bus twice from the rear with in a three block period; once at 300 West and again on 600 West while driving near 1100 North.
“A witness reported observing the driver of the other vehicle exit his vehicle following the collision and approach three different vehicles that were stopped and occupied at the collision,” the statement said. “It was reported that the driver approached one occupied vehicle and attempted to open the driver’s door but was unsuccessful.”
The driver then approached a second vehicle and began striking the driver’s window with his fists and elbow.
The driver made his way to a third vehicle — a large box truck, where he entered the passenger door and ordered the driver of that vehicle to take him to “The Temple.”
A witness followed the box truck to the LDS Temple in American Fork where he reported that the driver had run from the truck to the southeast corner of the Temple grounds.
Four Pleasant Grove officers made contact with Diediker who confessed to hitting the school bus. He also said he being chased by Satan.
Diediker was taken into custody.
The Toyota pickup truck was towed, then searched by officers, and a user amount of cannabis concentrate also known as “dab” was found with a smoking device. When Diediker saw the “dab” and the smoking device on the counter at the police department, he allegedly admitted it belonged to him, the statement said.
“Mr. Diediker showed signs of being under the influence of drugs; his speech was rapid and his movements were abrupt at times,” the statement said. “He was not rational and appeared to be very anxious consistent with leaving the scene of this collision and running after exiting the box truck. Field sobriety tests were administered to Diediker and he was not found to be impaired. However, due to signs of drug influence he was arrested for a metabolite DUI violation and voluntarily provided blood and urine samples.”
A field urinalysis showed positive for THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis concentrate or “dab” police said.
At the Pleasant Grove Police Department, while being housed in a cell, Diediker was observed pulling a metal paper towel dispenser from the wall near the toilet and sink, and damaging it, the statement said.
Diediker was transported to Utah County Jail; his bail has been set at $75,000.
