CRIME

West Jordan man charged in road rage incident involving a scooter

Oct 21, 2024, 4:04 PM | Updated: 7:25 pm

LEHI – A West Jordan man is behind bars after being charged in a road rage incident in Utah County involving a scooter.

Nathan Schwendiman, 31, was charged Friday with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. Both charges include an enhancement for road rage, which is the result of a new state law that took effect a few months ago.

According to charging documents, Schwendiman was driving his vehicle Monday, Oct. 14, near 2901 N. Ashton Blvd. in Lehi when he almost hit someone riding a scooter in the bike lane.

Police said the man on the scooter flipped off Schwendiman, after which Schwendiman made a U-turn and drove directly at the scooter. Police said Schwendiman “went onto the curb multiple times trying to hit the victim,” while also nearly hitting “multiple bystanders as well.”

Prosecutors said Schwendiman eventually skimmed the victim’s hand before crashing into a curb.

“While speaking with Nathan he admitted he was suicidal and built up with rage,” Lehi police wrote in a probable cause statement, “and when he got flipped off it set him off and he admitted to [swerving] at the victim multiple times. Nathan stated he only tried to scare the victim and had no intention of killing him.”

Schwendiman was arrested and taken to the Utah County Jail where he was ordered to be held without bail.

“I think all road rage is disappointing and disheartening,” said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, who sponsored Utah’s new road rage law. “But especially someone on a scooter – a scooter versus a car with a car weighing so much – the person on the scooter has no chance at all.”

Weiler told KSL TV he hopes the law – which provides for tougher penalties – deters others from engaging in road rage in the first place. But he said Utah still deals with several dozen cases of it each month.

“Part of this is deterrence,” Weiler said, “and part of it is just making sure that the penalty matches the crime.”

Weiler added the state plans to run an ad campaign educating Utahns about road rage and encouraging them to not let their anger take over.

Schwendiman had an initial appearance on Friday, according to online court records, and is scheduled to appear again before a judge on Tuesday afternoon. A message to Schwendiman’s attorney seeking comment was not returned.

Lehi has had several recent high-profile road rage cases, including one in June that led to one man’s death. The case involving the scooter is just the latest to attract attention.

“Legitimately, we’re getting road rage calls daily,” said Lehi Police Sgt. Robert Marshall. “They just don’t go to this level.”

Marshall said he’s glad Utah’s new law allows harsher penalties for road rage, and he hopes it prevents others from doing it.

“It’s tricky because it’s hard to fix people,” Marshall said. “But the ones that are looking out for their own well-being, I think it does help with having enhancements.”

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West Jordan man charged in road rage incident involving a scooter