CLEARFIELD, Utah — One man is dead and an investigation is underway after two men were involved in a road rage incident with each other Monday evening in Clearfield.
Officials later identified the man who died as 63-year-old James Edwards Saccato, from West Point.
The individual who allegedly fired a weapon at Saccato, a man in his 30s, was not placed under arrest. He was taken into police custody immediately after the incident and has been cooperative in the investigation, officials said. As of Tuesday afternoon, the man was no longer in police custody.
Officials did not disclose the other man's identity as they said the case will be screened for charges on Tuesday.
Police said they received a 911 call about a car accident around 6:30 p.m. near Industrial Parkway and State Route 193. One of the drivers fled the scene, and the other — who was on the phone with dispatch — pursued him.
The chase ended on a residential street near 300 North and 1200 West, where the driver who was fleeing got out of his vehicle and approached the other.
Alexandra Baxter saw the incident unfold outside her aunt's home.
"This truck comes hurdling down the road, and it triggered me because there's kids in the neighborhood all the time," she said. "I was coming out to yell at them to slow down, and this white truck come hurdling down with him."
Before she could get out her yell of caution, she said the first truck slammed on the brakes so hard that she could smell the tires.
"The guy got out — the one that died — got out of his truck and he acted as if he had a firearm in his hands, and just like approached the vehicle saying 'What's up' and all this," she recalled.
The man who got out of the truck (Saccato) was then allegedly shot and killed by the other driver. Police say there is no indication that Saccato had a weapon, and it's not yet known exactly how the confrontation escalated to a shooting.
"It almost didn't sound real to me because I've shot guns before, but he just shot him," Baxter said.
Clearfield Police Assistant Chief Devin Rogers says charges — if any — will be screened Tuesday.
To help with the investigation, police are asking drivers who were along SR-193 between State Street and 1000 West in Clearfield on Monday between 6:20 p.m. and 6:35 p.m. to check their vehicle cameras, if they have them, for a dark-colored 2002 Chevy K2500 truck and a white 2000 Ford Ranger.
If you have any information that could be helpful in the investigation or find video footage of the incident, contact the Clearfield Police Department at 801-525-2800.
Earlier Monday, another road rage incident happened in Lehi, which left one person in critical condition. On Tuesday, the man's family announced that he had been taken off life support and passed away.
