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DUCHESNE — A Duchesne County man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder for firing multiple shots that struck a man in the head while the victim was driving by his property.
Clyde Wayne Thomas, 77, was originally charged in 8th District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony. Thomas pleaded guilty Monday to the same offense reduced to a second-degree felony, court records show. He also pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm, a third-degree felony.
In a statement filed as part of his plea, Thomas admitted that he fired a .22-caliber rifle at a man who drove past his land in the Pinion Ridge area of Duchesne County on Nov. 21, 2009. The man told deputies he was in the area checking on a friend's property. He suffered a head wound when a bullet entered his vehicle and fragmented.
Thomas also shot at deputies who responded to the injured man's call for help, court records show.
Questions about Thomas' mental competency stalled the case for more than three years. In May 2013, a judge ruled Thomas was able to understand the charges against him and assist in his own defense, allowing the case to move forward.
Thomas, who has been in custody since his arrest, faces up to 15 years in prison for the attempted murder conviction when he is sentenced July 21.
