Man accused of shooting Vernal officer charged with attempted murder

VERNAL — A Vernal man is facing several felony charges accusing him of shooting a Vernal police officer multiple times over the weekend.

Rookus Rosscol Curry, 27, was charged Sunday in Utah’s 8th District Court with two counts of attempted aggravated murder and discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; aggravated assault and illegal discharge of a gun, third-degree felonies; and threatening to use a weapon in a fight and failing to stop at the command of police, class A misdemeanors. The charges list a Roosevelt address for Curry.

About 11:20 p.m. Saturday, police say Curry became upset with his neighbor near 750 North and 400 East in Vernal because of the way the neighbor parked his trailer.

“(Curry) is alleged to have approached (his neighbor) initially with a handshake but was not happy about (his neighbor’s) trailer on the property that lies between (Curry and his neighbor’s) residences. (Curry) became hostile and pulled a pistol from his hoodie. He then pointed it at (his neighbor’s) head and chambered a round,” according to a statement from the State Bureau of Investigation filed in 8th District Court.

The neighbor’s wife heard the two men arguing and called 911.

Suspect in Vernal police shooting has extensive criminal history

The neighbor “told him not to point the gun at his head and (Curry) complied,” according to the state. Curry, however, then told the man “that he was not afraid to die or go back to jail.”

As the two men began walking back to their homes, the lights and sirens from responding officers approached.

“Moments later, Uintah County deputies O’Donnal and Russell and Sgt. Watt from Vernal police pulled up at (Curry’s) residence. As officers arrived, (Curry) began opening fire in the direction of officers’ vehicles. After reviewing video surveillance and processing the scene, Watt’s and O’Donnal’s vehicles appear to have been struck several times,” the State Bureau of Investigation reported.

Watt was struck multiple times.

“Officers returned fire, resulting in (Curry) being wounded. (He) fled the immediate area on foot but was apprehended a short time later,” the state reported.

Both the sergeant and Curry were flown to hospitals in Salt Lake County. Watt was reported to be “stable” on Sunday afternoon. A Uintah County sheriff’s deputy was also treated for what was described as a minor injury and was later released.

Curry has previously been convicted of theft by receiving stolen property, assault and assault by a prisoner in 2017 in separate cases, and attempted obstruction of justice in 2020.