2 drivers arrested in road rage crash that backed up I-15 for miles

SANDY — A road rage confrontation between two drivers on I-15 ended in a crash during the Thursday afternoon commute, resulting in both men being arrested and traffic backed up for miles.

Ronald Alex Morelli, 59, and Nathan Leroy Robertson, 38, were each booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of reckless endangerment.

Robertson was driving a gray Mitsubishi Lancer and Morelli a pickup truck. Witnesses told Utah Highway Patrol troopers that "the black pickup truck was following much too close to the gray vehicle for an extended period of time and that the gray vehicle was brake checking the black vehicle," a police booking affidavit states.

One witness was able to video record the crash on southbound I-15 between 8000 South and 8400 South and showed it to troopers.

"I observed the black pickup truck make a lane change to the left of the gray vehicle, attempt to pass the vehicle and make a lane change back to the right. During this lane change, the black pickup truck made contact with the gray vehicle. The black pickup truck then made contact with the concrete wall on the right shoulder, then spun back into traffic, making contact with a third vehicle, not involved in the road rage incident," the arresting trooper wrote after watching the video.

When questioned, Robertson claimed he saw the pickup "weaving in and out of vehicles and following too close to his vehicle," while Morelli claimed it was the other driver who "was 'playing games' with him on the freeway and was driving in a manner to be aggressive and not leaving him alone," the affidavit states.

After interviewing multiple drivers, the trooper stated that "it became apparent to me that Mr. Robertson was brake checking'" the pickup, according to the affidavit. "Throughout the interaction, Mr. Robertson never took steps to disengage from the incident, and did not make any attempt to avoid conflict. Instead, he was reported to be slowing down and speeding up in relation to the black pickup truck."

When troopers pointed out to Morelli that witnesses said he attempted to pass Robertson using the right shoulder of the freeway, "he stated that may have happened, never admitting to driving on the shoulder. He also advised that the other vehicle was brake checking him and that he felt the other vehicle was the instigator in this road rage incident. Morelli also admitted that this event was dangerous and that we were lucky that nobody was seriously injured or killed," the affidavit says.

The trooper determined that Morelli also had several opportunities to back off from the other driver, but did not. When asked why he cut off the other driver, Morelli stated "that there was no traffic and (he) was trying to get back home," according to the affidavit.

Both men were then arrested and transported to jail. The crash and ensuing cleanup and investigation caused a three- to four-mile backup on southbound I-15 that took hours to clear.

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