LEHI, Utah, Jan. 26, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake City man suspected of shooting two people in an alleged road-rage incident Monday on Interstate 15 in Lehi is facing five felony charges in the case.
Jesse David Luker, 31, was booked on initial charges of:
- Five counts of aggravated assault committed with/force/violence to injure, a third-degree felony
- Reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Discharging of firearms from a vehicle, a class B misdemeanor
A probable cause statement filed by an officer of the Utah Highway Patrol says the incident happened at about 7:35 a.m. Monday when Luker was traveling south between milepost 285 and exit 279. He was in a black 2010 Chevrolet Silverado pickup.
A driver with four passengers also was traveling south on 1-15, and his white 2019 Ram pickup was in front of Luker’s black pickup, the statement says.
“There was a road rage incident between both vehicles. Witness statements have been collected from witnesses also traveling on I-15 who observed the road rage incident. Both vehicles engaged in swerving at each other while traveling southbound on I-15.
“During an interview, Luker advised that the white truck was swerving towards him and it became more aggressive as they traveled,” the probable cause statement says. “Luker advised that the white truck was swerving hard towards him, at which point he shot four bullets at the white truck. Luker advised that he was aiming for the tires on the truck.”
Luker told interviewers the white truck moved to the right side of the highway, then appeared to be swerving back toward him.
“Luker advised that he shot a second group of bullets at the white truck, between three and four bullets, when he was attempting to take the next exit and the white truck swerved into the rear right side of his black truck, causing it to crash and collide with the barrier on the right side of the road over the 279 exit on I-15.”
The white truck continued southbound and took the next exit, later arriving at American Fork Hospital, the UHP officer’s probable cause statement says.
“Two occupants inside the white truck, the driver and rear left passenger, both sustained gunshot wounds. Luker was shooting his firearm while driving approximately 70 mph, out of his front passenger window, aiming at the tires of the white truck, but hitting the driver and left rear passenger.
“Evidence at the scene indicates Luker fired multiple rounds towards the truck with multiple occupants inside (five total occupants), and at the time of day the rounds were fired, there was also moderate to heavy passenger traffic and vehicles traveling on I-15.”
UHP Lt. Nick Street told Gephardt Daily the driver of the white truck has been treated and released from the hospital, while the left rear passenger had surgery Monday evening and is still in the hospital.
Luker is being held in the Utah County Jail, without bail, the statement says, because of the belief that “Luker would constitute a substantial danger to any other individual or to the community, or is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court if released on bail.”
That idiot give responsible gun owners a very bad name. I’m a concealed carry permit holder and you are taught once you pull that gun out you do it because you fear for your life, you shoot to kill to save your life or the life of others. This was an act of a coward who should have never been in possession of a gun.