‘Frustrated’ Utahn charged with shooting fellow driver who yanked on his beard
Dec 15, 2022, 2:32 PM | Updated: May 21, 2023, 4:28 pm
(Andrew Adams/KSL TV)
(Andrew Adams/KSL TV)
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A Pleasant Grove man who claims he was frustrated by traffic when police say he threw a bottle at another vehicle has been charged with shooting and injuring the driver who confronted him.
Kevin Steed, 33, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, a first-degree felony.
Just before 8 p.m. Friday, two men driving pickup trucks were headed to a concert at the Maverik Center when police say Steed threw a water bottle at the other truck.
The two men rolled down their windows and exchanged words. When traffic came to a stop at 3500 South and 2400 West, the 43-year-old driver of the truck that was hit with the water bottle got out of his truck to confront Steed, according to charging documents.
Police say the man grabbed Steed’s beard, and Steed reacted by pulling out a gun and shooting the victim in the left side of his chest, the charges state.
When detectives questioned Steed about throwing something at the victim’s truck, he stated that “he has thrown Red Bull cans at vehicles in the past when he was frustrated in traffic. Steed stated he may have thrown a bottle but did not recall. Steed stated (the victim) exited his car and approached his window. Steed stated (the victim) grabbed onto his beard. Detectives observed part of Steed’s beard missing,” according to the charges.
The victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Prosecutors have requested that Steed be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without bail pending trial.
