Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- A Vernal man faces charges for allegedly firing shots during a road rage confrontation.
- Michael Earl Roloff, 48, admitted to having a temper and poor conflict-resolution skills, troopers said.
- Charges include aggravated assault, illegal gun firing and reckless driving in Utah.
VERNAL — A Vernal man is now facing felony charges accusing him of firing multiple rounds at another vehicle during a road-rage confrontation in eastern Utah on Sunday.
Michael Earl Roloff, 48, was booked into the Uintah County Jail after his arrest that same day. While being questioned by the trooper, Roloff allegedly admitted "he does have a problematic temper and poor conflict-resolution skills," a police booking affidavit states.
Roloff was charged Wednesday in 8th District Court with two counts of aggravated assault, illegal firing of a gun and obstruction, third-degree felonies; reckless driving with a road rage penalty enhancement, a class A misdemeanor; shooting a gun from a vehicle, a class B misdemeanor; and having an expired license, an infraction.
About 12:20 p.m. Sunday, Roloff was traveling through Utah on U.S. 40 when he fired three or four rounds at another vehicle, according to the affidavit. It says Roloff told police he lives in Wyoming and works in Colorado, though charging documents filed Wednesday list his home in Vernal.
"When I was talking to the victims, they described to me that they were traveling east on (U.S.) 40 just past the Jensen Green River bridge (and passing a van), when a silver pickup was right behind them, tailgating them. The victims described that the vehicle then went into the oncoming westbound lane to pass them," a Utah Highway Patrol trooper wrote.
Charging documents filed Wednesday further state that Roloff was "tailgating" the victims before passing them in a no-passing zone, slamming on his brakes, and then pulling off to the side of the road.
The driver of the other vehicle also pulled over to talk to him.
"When (the victims) stopped, they said a male got out of the vehicle and fired three to four rounds in their direction without saying anything," according to the charges.
"The driver took cover at the front of his vehicle, and the passenger said he began yelling at the suspect," the affidavit states. Roloff then drove off, and the victims followed so they could get a picture of his license plate.
After talking to the victims and tracing the registered owner of the pickup, troopers were able to call Roloff, who they say was in Craig, Colorado, by that point, and told him to turn around and meet them in Jensen, Uintah County.
Troopers say a shell casing was recovered from the area where the victims claimed they were shot at, which matches the type of gun Roloff claims he owns, according to the affidavit. They also discovered that Roloff's driver's license is expired.
Correction: A previous version incorrectly called U.S. 40 state Route 40.
