Man arrested for suspicion of attempted homicide after shooting at vehicle

CARBON COUNTY, Utah– A man is in custody after allegedly firing shots at a car with two people in it Sunday.

The man was identified as James Desean Lockard Jr.

Around 3:33 p.m. Price Dispatch was informed that a vehicle traveling eastbound towards Price was shot at by the driver of another car.

Court documents state, “The reporting party driver and female passenger informed dispatch that a gray Volkswagen Jetta with Washington State plates cut them off and then brandished a firearm (Black handgun) pointing it out the driver’s side window at them.”

They explained that the driver of the Jetta began to fire the gun at them several times.

Police responded and were able to locate the vehicle near 10th North in Helper, Utah.

Lockard pulled over in a parking lot and as police approached the car said suddenly, “that he only shot into the air not at anyone.”

He also told police that the gun was in his backpack and not on his person anymore.

Police found an empty brass cartridge between the driver seat and the driver’s door and a black backpack which contained a plastic baggie with a white crystal material inside it, identified by Trooper Wenger as methamphetamine. They also found two “tooter straws (used to smoke drugs off tin-foil)” and lots of used tin-foil with black lines on them inside the car.

According to court documents, “While searching the vehicle for additional illegal drugs Trooper Wenger located another tooter in the center console with a single fentanyl pill. Also in a handgun lock box he located approximately 50 similar pills of fentanyl and 2800.00 dollars cash. I located 3 pinkish Submoxine pills under the lid of the center console with a marijuana vape pen on the driver’s seat. Also a glass
marijuana pipe was located with partially burnt marijuana inside it.”

Officers observed that Lockard’s eyes had constricted pupils and that he was slow in responding. Lockard performed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and showed clues of recent marijuana use according to court documents.

At that point, officers took Lockard into custody for suspicion of DUI/ illegal substance use as well as attempted homicide. Once at the Carbon County Jail, the deputy located four Naloxone packs in his underwear.

All items including illegal drugs and Lockard’s firearm and ammunition were collected from the scene and booked into the Utah Highway Patrol evidence locker.