Utah motorcyclist shot, killed on California highway; second biker wounded

Shawn Fowler (left), 44, of Tooele. Photo: supplied

SAN BERNARDINO, California, July 7, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah motorcyclist was shot and killed, and a second was critically wounded after being fired upon at the side of a California highway early Friday morning.

Police say the victim — identified as Shawn Fowler, 44, of Tooele, was parked in a turn out along San Bernardino’s 210 Freeway about 4 a.m. at the time of the shooting.

Investigators say Fowler, his wife, Deanen, and another biker, were traveling through San Bernardino when they experienced mechanical problems. They pulled off onto the highway median and were there for just minutes before the shots rang out.

Lt. Mike Madden, San Bernardino Police Department, said Fowler was mortally wounded, while the second biker — whose name has not been released — was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Police say he has since stabilized.

Fowler’s wife was uninjured in the shooting.

Co-workers at Union Pacific Railroad in Salt Lake City, where Fowler worked as a locomotive engineer for more than a decade, remembered him as a hard working and dedicated professional. They said his passion for trains was second only to his love of motorcycling.

Police investigators are still trying to establish a motive for the shooting.

They say they’ve also yet to determine if the gunfire came from a passing vehicle or if it came from a stationary position, suggesting the attackers pulled up to their victims and then stopped their vehicle before opening fire.

Police also aren’t ruling out the possibility there was more than one shooter involved in the attack.

Another avenue investigators are pursuing involves motorcycle gang insignias police say they found on the bikes and the victim’s clothing.

“There is insignia on both the motorcycles and on the apparel worn by the deceased to indicate he was potentially affiliated with an outlaw motorcycle club, however, that information has not been verified,” Madden said.

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