Man arrested in alleged road rage shooting

MILLCREEK — A man wanted in connection with a road rage shooting in Millcreek last weekend has been arrested.

Kenneth Alfonzo Richardson, 33, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Wednesday for investigation of shooting in the direction of a person and aggravated assault, with both counts being filed under Utah’s new road rage law.

On Sept. 21, Richardson, while wearing a red bandanna over his face, allegedly shot at a Toyota 4Runner near 4500 South and 1300 East, according to a police booking affidavit. No injuries were reported.

“The arrestee committed a violent felony in a road rage incident against a stranger who was driving during their daily commute. The impulsive and violent actions of the suspect demonstrate Kenneth is a substantial danger to any individual and the community,” police wrote in their affidavit.

Unified Police Sgt. Aymee Race says before the shooting, the victim told police that he noticed Richardson driving aggressively behind him. As Richardson continued to follow the victim, at one point he allegedly drove into the bike lane and tried cutting off the victim by swerving into him before firing a round, Race said. The victim continued driving after the shot and was pulled over a short time later by a Unified officer while trying to get away. When the victim told the officer what had happened, the road rage investigation began.

Officers returned to the area where the shot was allegedly fired and found a shell casing, the affidavit states.

Detectives learned that Richardson goes to a smoke shop in the area on almost a daily basis and was seen there before the shooting, the affidavit states. They were able to collect enough information to identify Richardson as a possible suspect and found the vehicle allegedly involved in the road rage parked at his home in Holladay, according to the affidavit.

On Wednesday, Richardson was stopped by Salt Lake City police and found to have marijuana in his vehicle in addition to “an empty firearm case for a 9 mm handgun, and a partially filled box of 9 mm ammunition,” the affidavit states.

A red hoodie that matched what the alleged gunman wore in the Sept. 21 shooting was also found, police stated. What prompted Richardson to allegedly go after the other driver remained under investigation Thursday.

According to court records, Richardson was convicted of aggravated assault in 2018. In that case, Richardson had been working at Dunford Bakery for three days but became upset and aggressive when being told how to perform his duties, according to charging documents. After he was asked to leave, Richardson threatened to shoot one employee and slashed another with a knife, the charges state.