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SOUTH SALT LAKE — Raneal Christensen was clinging for his life onto the hood of a car going 60 mph before police say the driver stopped and pulled a gun on him.
Somehow, Christensen remained calm enough to talk the driver into surrendering.
The wild series of events happened in August.
Christensen, who was in a car with his girlfriend, was stopped at the intersection of 300 East and 3300 South on Aug. 29 when a Jaguar plowed into his car from behind, injuring the girlfriend and causing "substantial" damage to Christensen's car, according to charging documents.
As Christensen was surveying the damage, he "jumped on the hood of the Jaguar" to try and prevent the driver from leaving, the charges state.
He hung onto the hood as the driver accelerated to 60 mph, "weaving in and out of traffic, swerving back and forth attempting to eject Mr. Christensen from the hood," according to the charges.
Eventually the car pulled over, and investigators say the driver got out and pointed a gun at Christensen.
What happened next shocked police, who used words like "surprisingly" and "an amazing turn of events" in various police affidavits: Christensen somehow got the driver to calm down and convinced him to return to the scene of the crash. It was unclear Wednesday whether the two men drove back together.
At the original crash scene, police noted that the driver "smelled strongly of alcohol," had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and trouble keeping his balance. A glass cup containing vodka was found in the center console of the Jaguar, the interior "smelled strongly of marijuana," and a .45 ACP pistol that was determined to be stolen was found in the trunk, according to charging documents.
Police said the driver was "obviously intoxicated," according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.
Jordan James Crayton, 25, of Salt Lake City, was charged in 3rd District Court with theft by receiving stolen property, a second-degree felony; two counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; failing to remain at a crash with injuries, a class A misdemeanor; DUI, a class B misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor; carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol, a class B misdemeanor; giving false information to a police officer, a class C misdemeanor; and having an open container in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor.
Attempts to reach Christensen for comment were unsuccessful.
