Man with assault rifle, pipe bomb shot at Utah oil tanks, charges say

MONTEZUMA CREEK, San Juan County — A man accused of "causing a catastrophe" by shooting tanks full of crude oil is now facing numerous criminal charges.

David Shufa V Wells, 39, was charged Friday in 7th District Court with four counts of criminal mischief, recklessness with incendiary device parts, and causing a catastrophe, all second-degree felonies; in addition to carrying a weapon while under the influence and trespassing, class B misdemeanors; and driving on a denied license, a class C misdemeanor.

The investigation began Thursday when Wells was spotted walking along state Route 162 while carrying a .223-caliber rifle. When questioned by San Juan County sheriff's deputies, he stated "that he had gotten his car stuck in the sand at the oil field up the road," according to a police booking affidavit. The deputies noted that Wells did not have a valid driver's license.

Wells was taken to a local hospital to be treated for dehydration, police say he gave them his keys and asked them to go find his car and get it unstuck from the sand. While at the hospital, he tested positive for methamphetamine in his system, the affidavit states.

His vehicle was found near the Montezuma Well Service oil field, on private property. While checking the vehicle, deputies found a spent .223 shell casing, and "on the ground next to Dave's car was what I identified as a pipe bomb," according to the affidavit.

Upon further inspection of the area, deputies noted that four oil tankers nearby had bullet holes in them.

"I contacted Montezuma Well Service and they came out and inspected the tanks and said that all the bullet holes were new. Three of the tanks that were shot are full of crude oil and one of the tanks is currently empty," police wrote.

The company said it would now have to empty the tanks to inspect and clean them and "estimated the cost of emptying the tanks and cleaning them is $8,000 per container. One container that was shot was actively leaking crude oil," according to the arrest report.

Deputies also noted in the affidavit that they have dealt with Wells in the past "where he has fired firearms and threatened to harm himself or other people," and that he "runs and hides from law enforcement when we respond."

Wells admitted to police he had been off his medication for mental health-related issues for about a week, the affidavit alleges.

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