Police: man knocked out in road rage confrontation

WEST VALLEY CITY – Police say a road rage incident escalated to a confrontation that sent a man to the hospital.

The incident happened in a parking lot at Valley Fair Mall Saturday afternoon.

West Valley City Police Lt. Amy Maurer said a car pulling into the lot stopped at an intersection that that did not require a stop. She said the car behind them honked to tell them to keep moving. Maurer said two passengers in the front car got out and approached the car that honked.

She said the driver went around them and stopped further ahead in the lot. Maurer said the two people continued to follow the car on foot and one of them punched it.

Maurer said a man inside the car got out to confront them and she said the two who had followed the car got into a fighting posture. She said the man who got out to confront them punched one of them, knocking him unconscious.

Police believe he was acting in self-defense and they said he told them he had been a boxer.

“You never know who knows more than you do or who’s more skilled at things than you are if you pick a fight with somebody. You just never know,” Maurer said.

Maurer said the man who was knocked out went to the hospital to be checked out.

Police are looking into possible charges of assault and criminal mischief against the two who she said instigated the incident. She said it was something that could easily have been avoided.

“Really simple. It was a communication to go. Just let people go about their Saturday. There’s no reason to do this over a honk,” she said.