Motorist charged with pointing gun at motorcyclist in road rage incident

TAYLORSVILLE — A Utah man is facing a criminal charge accusing him of pointing a gun at a motorcyclist during a road rage confrontation.

Richard Jacob Verkaaik, 38, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.

On July 26, a man on a motorcycle drove onto I-215 at 4700 South “and merged to the far left lane when he saw a sedan tailgating him and came close to hitting him. (He) moved over one lane to the right so the sedan could pass him, but the vehicle pulled in front of him and brake-checked him,” according to charging documents.

The passenger in the car, Verkaaik, then pointed a gun at the motorcycle rider as the woman who was driving “attempted to push the gun down so (the rider) could not see it. (The rider) reported he feared for his life, and pulled over to call the police,” the charges state.

A Utah Highway Patrol trooper spotted the car near 5700 S. Redwood, pulled it over and arrested Verkaaik. A gun was found in the glove box, according to the charges.

“People need to practice patience when driving on the road,” Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said Tuesday. “Violence on Salt Lake County roadways is unacceptable. If you are caught in a similar situation, please pull over and contact law enforcement as soon as possible.”