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RIVERTON — A man was arrested Tuesday after police say he threw a hatchet at another driver during a road rage incident in Riverton.
Police say Tyler Lee High, 24, was driving on 12600 South near Redwood Road just after 5 p.m. "when another vehicle entered the roadway in front of Tyler that caused him to slow."
High made a hand gesture toward the other driver, and then both exchanged words after they pulled up next to each other, according to a police booking affidavit. Both men then stopped their cars in the middle of the road and got out to continue their confrontation.
"At some point Tyler threw a small handheld hatchet towards the victim, which struck the pillar directly behind the driver's door window," the affidavit states.
Police say they also recovered a short video of the confrontation that shows "both Tyler and the victim losing control of their emotions and anger."
Investigators obtained High's license plate number and found him at his residence. He told police that he threw the hatchet because "he was feeling threatened," the affidavit says.
High was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault.
According to a report released in June, Utah leads the nation in road rage incidents. That same month, the Utah Highway Patrol made a plea to motorists to keep their cool. The warning came after an 18-year-old woman was shot twice in the face by a motorcyclist on I-15.
