Clearfield road rage suspect arrested, charged with murder

CLEARFIELD — A West Point man has been charged with murder in connection to a deadly road rage incident in Clearfield earlier this month.

Justin Kent Doman, 34, was arrested Thursday morning after weeks of investigation, Clearfield Police Chief Kelly Bennett told KSL TV.

Doman is accused of shooting and killing James Edward Saccato, 63, of West Point on June 3 after a road rage incident that stretched through Clearfield.

According to charging documents, Doman was driving on state Route 193 when Saccato – who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado – cut him off. Prosecutors said Doman flipped off Saccato, who proceeded to brake check Doman several times.

After Saccato again slammed on his brakes, prosecutors said, Doman rear-ended him and called 911.

“While on the phone,” prosecutors said, “he admitted to hitting the victim again.”

Doman then turned around and sped after Saccato, prosecutors said. Eventually, Saccato stopped in a neighborhood in Clearfield and approached Doman’s vehicle.

“The witnesses said that the victim bent down to speak the driver,” prosecutors said, “and then they immediately saw the victim fall back and heard a single gunshot.”

Saccato died from his injuries. Prosecutors said Doman “knew that the victim was unarmed, but that (he) felt like (Saccato) was trying to disarm him, so he shot him in the chest.”

However, prosecutors said, none of the witnesses nearby said Saccato ever touched Doman or tried to disarm him.

Ultimately, prosecutors said, Doman “was the aggressor in this series of events, which led to the victim’s death.”

Doman’s arrest came the same day that police from across Utah held a news conference calling attention to the growing concerns around road rage and highlighting a new law set to take effect to address it.

According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, calls to dispatch reporting road rage have increased 32% since 2020.

Bennett, the Clearfield police chief, said drivers should take down vehicle information when involved in a road rage incident, but they should not engage the other vehicle or pursue it.

“You never know what’s going to happen if you approach somebody,” Bennett said. “Just like in this incident, somebody died.”

Asked if Doman’s actions could have constituted self-defense, Bennett said no.

“Through information that we obtained, we do not believe there was a self-defense,” he said. “We’re confident in the prosecution of this case.”

Prosecutors have asked that Doman be held without bail. An attorney for Doman was not listed as of early Thursday afternoon.