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WEST VALLEY CITY — A West Valley man is facing criminal charges accusing him of shooting at his girlfriend and her family.
Joshua Lee Zobel, 32, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with three counts of firing a gun causing injury, a second-degree felony; being a restricted person in possession of a weapon, a third-degree felony; plus drug possession and trespassing, class A misdemeanors.
On Jan. 12, Zobel was at an apartment with his girlfriend and got into an argument. He "was asked to leave multiple times but refused," according to charging documents. Other family members, including the woman's father and sister, also tried to intervene and convince Zobel to leave.
The family was eventually able to get Zobel out of the apartment; "however, the argument continued on the sidewalk. (The sister) said Zobel then produced a handgun and shot it at her and (the father). (She) was observed with a graze wound on the side of her left calf and (the father) was observed with an injury to his right knee," the charges state.
The girlfriend further told police that Zobel "pulled a gun out and she saw 'sparks' and immediately felt pain in her leg," according to the charges.
None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
While he was being taken into custody, Zobel told police "that if he could go back, his actions would be exactly the same except he would kill the people," the charges allege. "(He) further expressed that he would get another gun when he gets out of jail, and he will always be armed with a gun."
Prosecutors say Zobel has previously been convicted of domestic violence.
Domestic violence resources
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah's confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
- Utah's statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
