Murder charges filed in Sandy road rage shooting

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office filed a felony charge of first-degree murder against a man who shot another man during a road rage confrontation last week.

Chris Mortensen, 41 from Pleasant Grove was killed Oct. 26 following a road rage incident on Interstate 15.

Police said that’s when 32-year-old Rodrigo Monroy pulled out a gun and shot Mortensen in the chest.

After being booked into jail, Monroy said “that he ‘brake checked’ (the other vehicle) while on the freeway,” Sandy Police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

They argued while driving down the interstate. Monroy said he voluntarily followed Mortensen off the interstate. He stopped behind Mortensen.

Monroy told police that he knew Mortensen was not armed when he shot him. Monroy said Mortensen hit his truck with his hand. That’s when Monroy pulled out his handgun and pointed it at Mortensen the documents said. Monroy admitted that Mortensen tried to disarm him and that’s when he pulled the gun away.

“As Monroy pulled the gun away, Mortensen backed up with his hands visible and said, ‘No.’” the charging document said.

“At first, Monroy told police that Mortensen had grabbed the barrel of the handgun and turned it and the gun just fired while Mortensen still had his hand on the handgun. Monroy later changed his statement during the interview and admitted that he did not shoot Mortensen until after he had regained control of the handgun,” the charging document stated.

The Mortensen family lost their little 7-year-old daughter London in a moving truck accident eight years ago. Now, they’re dealing with the devastating loss of their husband and father.

Utah family shares devastation of losing father, husband in road rage shooting

“He was this huge, big mountain of a man, and you put a puppy on him or one of his kids and he would melt at the sight of his wife and kids,” said Chris Mortensen’s sister-in-law, Jessica Roussel. “That was the thing that brought him the most joy in life.”

“We know it was a senseless act of violence that took him, and that’s the main thing that the family is going to forever struggle to understand,” said Brandon Merrill, cousin and family attorney.

“He was always looking to help other people, and he was always trying to live his best life, because he knew when this life was over, he would be able to see his daughter again, and he wanted to make sure that was something possible for him to do,” Roussel said.

Mortensen was the sole provider for his family. A donation site* has been created for them. As of Friday people have donated nearly $32,000 to the family.

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*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.