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MOAB — A state parks ranger shot multiple times in a November confrontation with an armed motorist is improving but recalls few details about the gunfight that left him critically wounded.
Grand County Sheriff Jim Nyland said Brody Young, 34, was able to share some details for the first time on Monday about the Nov. 19 shooting during an interview with investigators.
Hospital personnel in Grand Junction, Colo., removed feeding and tracheal tubes from Young, with doctors advising law enforcement it would be best to question him now, rather than later, because of a new regimen of drugs to be administered to help the ranger deal with anxiety.
"Apparently he has having a real difficult time with sleeping and such because of the traumatic incident," Nyland said.
Young was shot multiple times after police say he encountered Lance Leeroy Arrellano, approaching the man in his car to tell him he was in a no-camping area.
Nyland said Arrellano gave Young a false name and date of birth, and as Young was returning to his car to run a check on the driver, he was shot multiple times in the back.
"After that, it was hit and miss as to what happened," Nyland said. "He could not really give us a lot of information. He was going in and out of consciousness."
Young does remember being able to return fire and investigators believe an injured Arrellano fled on foot into the Red Rock desert country, where he may have since died. Nyland said despite the efforts of an intense manhunt in the days following the shooting, the trail has gone completely cold as to the shooter's whereabouts.
"Basically nothing. We've not had one call at all."
On Wednesday, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Utah Department of Natural Resources announced a reward of up to $30,000 for information that leads to the capture of Arrellano, who has been charged with one count of attempted aggravated murder. A wanted poster has been distributed and the public is being asked to contact Nyland's department with any information.
In the meantime, Young continues to recover from his injuries.
"He is doing pretty good," Nyland said. "He's doing a lot better than people figured."
Nyland said he believes the injured ranger has been able to sit up and even walk a little bit with the help of hospital staff, and much of the focus is help him regain his strength and mobility.
"It's hard because he's been laid up for such a bit."
E-mail:amyjoi@desnews.com
