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SALT LAKE CITY — Police say a man suspected of intentionally hitting and killing a man who was riding a scooter in Salt Lake City on Monday had "been on a vengeance spree."
Robert Johnson Boyatt, 53, was arrested Thursday night and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of murder, failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, driving on a denied license and obstruction.
Boyatt was driving a car west on 1000 North about 1:15 a.m. Monday when he saw Victor Hershberger, 61, riding a scooter eastbound near 1020 West and 1000 North. Boyatt did a U-turn, and according to witnesses, "the vehicle then swerved over into the westbound lanes and … intentionally ran (Hershberger) over from behind, made no attempt to stop and fled the scene," a police booking affidavit states.
The vehicle that hit Hershberger was found abandoned in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. After collecting various pieces of evidence and talking to a witness, "It was determined that Boyatt knew (Hershberger) and … was looking for (him) and 'has been on a vengeance spree' against (Hershberger)," according to the affidavit. "There is substantial evidence to support that (Boyatt) intentionally targeted the victim in this incident."
Additional information about how the two men were acquainted had not been released as of Friday.
About 8:45 p.m. Thursday, members of the Salt Lake City SWAT team and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located Boyatt at a campsite in Grantsville.
"Detectives believe Boyatt had been camping in the nearby mountains to evade capture," Salt Lake police said Friday. "Due to Boyatt's past criminal record, the likelihood that he would run from police if confronted, and the fact that he was known to possibly have access to weapons and ammunition, (police) deployed multiple resources to the scene, including a drone, police tracking K-9 teams, and a tactical rescue vehicle."
Boyatt's criminal history includes arrests for burglary, theft and forgery. He was charged in February in 3rd District Court with theft and burglary of a vehicle for allegedly stealing $15,000 worth of copper piping and tools from a trailer. A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for August.
