DRAPER, Utah, June 7, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A 19-year-old man who police say admitted to purposely steering his car into a Draper girl now last week has now been charged with attempted aggravated murder.
The first-degree felony charge filed against Steven Becky was upgraded from (attempted) criminal homicide, which was a second-degree felony.
In addition, Becky now faces charges of operating a vehicle negligently causing injury, a second-degree felony; possession with intent to distribute a class C substance, a third degree felony; possession or use of a controlled substance, a class B misdemeanor; and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
The incident happened last 8:26 a.m. on Friday, May 31, when an 11-year-old was walking her electric scooter at the side of the road at 15051 W. Wingbluff Lane, police say.
Becky, who had been living with his aunt and uncle in the neighborhood for about a month and a half, was nearby, driving his car.
“Video surveillance collected on scene showed a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta UT#N850P, driving north on the wrong side of the road,” the probable cause statement says.
“The vehicle takes a sharp right turn toward an 11-year-old female who was walking her electric scooter up the hill on the east side of the roadway. The female was struck by the front bumper of the vehicle and then the vehicle overturned. The video clearly showed the vehicle veer from the left side of the road directly at, and then into, the victim.”
A witness on scene immediately after the collision said Becky got out of his overturned vehicle, aggressively “charged” at the young victim, saying “We all have to die sometime.”
Draper Police say Becky knew the child, who was a friend of his young cousin.
Becky tried to leave, the statement says, and was detained by the witness. Arriving officers noticed what they characterized as Becky’s “erratic behavior.”
“The behavior was described as uncooperative, aggressive,and non sympathetic towards the child victim,” charging documents say. “From Becky’s actions and statements, Officers believed he was impaired by an unknown substance(s).”
At the scene, Becky admitted to be using Xanax and marijuana. At Intermountain Medical Center, where Becky was taken for evaluation, he told a doctor he had used LSD and mushrooms, the probable cause statement says.
The girl was treated at Primary Children’s Hospital for head injuries and a fractured hip. She was released to continue her recovery at home.
After his hospital evaluation, the police statement says, Becky was interviewed.
“During the interview, Becky stated that he intentionally hit the victim, ‘because she was white.'”
Becky is being held on bail set June 1 at $255,000.
