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SALT LAKE CITY — "I can't believe Jimmy shot me."
That's what prosecutors say an 18-year-old driver said shortly after being shot on a busy freeway in September during an ongoing dispute between rival gangs.
Jimmy Alexis Lopez, 18, a documented gang member who goes by the moniker "Savage," was charged in 3rd District Court Monday with two counts of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; discharge of a firearm with injury, a second-degree felony; possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; and five counts of illegal discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony.
On Sept. 20, Mario Villagrana was driving on state Route 201 near 2700 West with a 15-year-old passenger when a Honda Civic with Lopez inside pulled up next to him.
Lopez, the passenger in the Honda, yelled "Norte," according to witnesses, before firing six shots at Villagrana, striking him once near his armpit, according to charging documents. Villagrana was overheard saying, "I can't believe Jimmy shot me."
History
Lopez, whose Facebook page has a cover photo of red and white clothing next to a stack of $100 bills, has had several violence-related charges filed against him in court over the past two years.
In January he was charged with three counts of assault in West Valley Justice Court, according to court records. That case was later dismissed. In April, Lopez was charged with assault with gang enhancements in one case, and three identical assault counts in another.
In one of those cases, Lopez punched a man in the face and then used a stun gun on him, according to charging documents, and then punched two more men who tried to help the first one. In another case, Lopez asked a man if he "banged," and then allegedly chased and assaulted the man when he said no.
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18-year-old man arrested in connection with freeway shooting
An ongoing dispute between rival gangs put motorists on a busy freeway during rush hour traffic at risk when one group opened fire on the other, police say.In 2015, Lopez was charged with aggravated assault and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child after allegedly hitting his brother-in-law in the head with a skateboard while his two children were standing next to him. The case was eventually dismissed when the state was unable to proceed at the preliminary hearing, according to court records.
In a separate case in 2015, Lopez was convicted of aggravated assault and was placed on probation for 36 months. One of the terms of his probation was to have "no contact with known gang members."
That case involved a 17-year-old boy at Granger High School who used to be associated with a rival gang, who was attacked by Lopez.
In yet another case in 2015, Lopez was convicted of attempted drug distribution, and being a restricted person in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, on top of the 90 days he served while the case was pending in court, according to court records.
In 2014, Lopez was charged with aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury for allegedly using a metal pipe to assault a boy after school at a nearby fast-food restaurant. The victim had to have staples put in his head at a local hospital and also suffered a broken finger and several cuts and bruises to his arms, court records state. That case was also dismissed when the state was unable to proceed at the preliminary hearing.
