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OREM — A Santaquin man who police say was involved in a road rage incident with another driver is now facing felony charges accusing him of calling three other men under his supervision at work and telling them to go assault the other driver.
Michael Sean Price, 31, was charged Tuesday in 4th District Court with aggravated assault causing a loss of consciousness, a second-degree felony, and criminal solicitation, a third-degree felony.
James Lloyd Dees, 31, of Provo; Noah Thomas Bencomo, 20, of Nephi; and Humberto David Bencomo, 19, of Spanish Fork, were each charged with aggravated assault causing a loss of consciousness, a second-degree felony.
On April 10, a man pulled up next to Price's work truck on I-15, then yelled at him, "Learn how to drive" and threw a wrench at his truck, causing a dent, according to a police booking affidavit. Price responded by following the man through Orem allegedly to get his license plate number.
"He stated that the male pulled over at a traffic light, got out of his car, and began punching and kicking Michael's work truck," the affidavit states.
But rather than call police, Price continued to follow the man, and after he watched him park in an Orem neighborhood, he called the other three men — whom prosecutors describe as his "subordinates" at work — "told them where (the man) could be located and instructed them to 'come (mess) this guy up,'" charging documents allege.
Police say the three men arrived at the victim's location and began punching and kicking him.
The man "had a broken rib, multiple fractures on his nose and later was throwing up blood. (His) eye was swollen shut and he had multiple bruises on his face. (He) later found a knife and recalled hearing one of his assailants say, 'He's gonna stab him, he's gonna stab him,'" according to charging documents.
Police started tracking down the alleged attackers and identified them due in part to the name of the business they all worked for, a roofing and siding company, being on Price's vehicle, the charges state.
After the assault, Price sent a text to one of his employees stating, "Don't stress bro I promise you guys are out of the clear I just had to tell (my boss) about the dent so they know ... Plus I ain't no snitch bro," according to the charges.
