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TAYLORSVILLE — Taylorsville police now believe that an apparent road rage incident on Thursday that left a man critically injured after being shot in the head may actually be a case of a drug deal gone bad.
About 1:30 p.m. Thursday, two vehicles were making a left turn from 6200 South to go north on Redwood Road. The vehicles were side-by-side when witnesses say someone fired from the passenger window of an SUV at the victim's car. A man in his 30s was struck in the head. His vehicle came to a stop after crashing on the I-215 overpass a short distance away.
Despite his injury, police say the man is expected to survive.
Originally, police believed the confrontation may have been the result of road rage. But on Friday, investigators announced they believe it "stemmed from a botched drug deal or attempted robbery."
A search warrant was served on the victim's vehicle and "distributable amounts of narcotics and a large amount of money" were found inside, according to a prepared statement from police.
When officers attempted to question the victim, who they say is not from Utah, detectives noted that he is "not being cooperative with investigators or with the investigation."
The search continued Friday for the vehicle the suspects were driving, a gray 2020-2022 GMC Acadia SUV. Anyone with information on the vehicle or the gunmen is asked to call police at 801-840-4000.
