Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
OREM — A Provo man was charged Monday with shooting at a woman and her son as he tried to walk away from a crash, then later exchanging shots with police.
Gene Patrick Contreras, 35, is charged in 4th District Court with two counts of attempted murder and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies; plus illegal discharge of a firearm and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, third-degree felonies.
On May 28, police Contreras ran a red light at the intersection of 800 S. Orem Blvd. and hit another car. But after the crash, Contreras got out of his car and started to walk away, charging documents state.
A woman who witnessed the crash followed Contreras, pulled up next to him and "rolled down the front passenger window and questioned (him about) why he was leaving the area."
Standing only a few feet away, Contreras pulled out a gun and fired three rounds at the woman's vehicle, where a special needs boy was also sitting, according to the charges.
"One bullet struck the front passenger door, just below the window, and the other two struck the rear passenger door," the charges state.
The woman and her child began driving away after the first shot was fired and they were not injured.
Moments later, an Orem police officer who had just arrived at the scene spotted Contreras running away.
"Only feet away and before the officer could exit his vehicle, (Contreras) fired two shots at the officer. As the officer exited his vehicle and returned fire, (Contreras) shot at least one more time at the officer and then ran into the backyard of a nearby residence," the charging documents say.
Contreras then attempted to enter that residence through the back door, which was locked, so he shot the doorknob and walked in, according to police. Contreras then allegedly demanded car keys and a phone from the occupants of the home and ordered them to go into the basement.
After Contreras got the homeowner's keys, police say he was going to "make a run" for the homeowner's car, which was parked in the driveway. When Contreras opened the front door, he saw an officer standing in front of the house next door and fired a round at him, the charges allege.
"According to the officer, the bullet struck a handrail he was standing behind and missed him by only inches," the court documents state.
Another officer who was across the street returned fire and hit Contreras in the arm, according to the charges. Contreras went back inside the house, but surrendered without further incident a short time later.
After he was booked into the Utah County Jail, police learned about a pair of armed robberies that they believe Contreras committed.
On May 20, police say Contreras walked into Sonic, 1296 N. State in Provo, and talked to a woman behind the counter about employment.
"Contreras asked the female if she was alone and if the store had a cash register. Contreras pulled a small black handgun from his front right coat pocket and pointed it at the female employee," according to a police booking affidavit.
Police say Contreras then racked the slide on the gun and became angry with the woman when a second employee walked into the room.
"Contreras yelled at the female he initially spoke to and was upset. He called her a liar for telling him she was the only one working. The female feared for her life and stated she looked down the barrel of the firearm and thought, 'This is how I'm going to die,'" according to the affidavit.
Contreras allegedly took cash from the register and left.
On May 26, Contreras robbed the Last Chance Gas Station, 545 N. 900 East in Provo, and took money from the cash register at gunpoint, a separate police booking affidavit states.
Police determined after Contreras' arrest on May 28 that the same gun used in the shooting in Orem was also used in the two Provo robberies, the affidavits state. He was arrested for investigation of robbery in both cases, but formal charges had not been filed as of Monday.
