Post by KC on Mar 20, 2006 0:25:58 GMT -5
03/18/2006 - A Utah Highway Patrol trooper shot an unarmed Ohio man in the back after a robbery and high-speed chase, an investigation by the Carbon County Sheriff's Office has found.
It appears Trooper Ed Bentley accidentally fired his M-14 rifle Sunday night and struck John Gourno, 29, about 10 miles from Wellington in east-central Utah, Carbon County Sheriff James Cordova said Tuesday. The bullet exited through Gourno's abdomen.
"Trooper Bentley did pull the trigger," Cordova said.
Gourno - dubbed a career criminal by authorities - was taken to a hospital in Price and then transported to Salt Lake City's University Hospital, where he remained Tuesday.
Cordova said Gourno will be interviewed again before the investigation wraps up. The sheriff then will hand the case off to the Carbon County attorney, who will determine whether charges are filed against the trooper.
"We support their findings," said UHP Lt. Doug McCleve.
He said the UHP's Internal Affairs Section also was conducting an investigation and noted Bentley was on paid administrative leave pending that review.
"We want to be extremely thorough and careful," McCleve said.
He added that investigators want to ensure all circumstances are considered, including the fact that some of the troopers at the scene had responded earlier this month when a man was killed by law enforcement officers in a shoot-out in neighboring Duchesne County.
According to the Emery County Sheriff's Office, Gourno entered the Comfort Inn on Green River's main drag Sunday about 6:25 p.m. He allegedly pulled a gun on a clerk and demanded cash. Gourno didn't point it at the clerk and kept saying he didn't want any trouble, according to the sheriff's office.
Three UHP troopers began looking for the getaway vehicle. A trooper spotted it as it turned onto U.S. Highway 6 from Interstate 70. He discovered the vehicle was stolen from Indiana and tried to pull it over.
The vehicle allegedly raced off, topping 100 mph.
Two roadblocks were set up about 10 miles from Wellington and near the East Carbon junction. The suspect vehicle approached the first roadblock and pulled behind a trooper's cruiser.
"I can't think of a more dangerous and critical circumstance that these guys would find themselves in," McCleve said, noting that it was a desolate stretch of road.
Five troopers and two Adult Probation and Parole officers were on scene, all with guns drawn, Cordova said.
They ordered the driver, Audie Barnes, 29, of Ohio out of the vehicle and he complied, the sheriff said. Barnes, who is in the Emery County jail, walked backward toward the officers with his hands in the air.
Officers then ordered Gourno out of the vehicle. He, too, complied and was walking backward with his hands in the air when he was shot, Cordova said.
It appears Trooper Ed Bentley accidentally fired his M-14 rifle Sunday night and struck John Gourno, 29, about 10 miles from Wellington in east-central Utah, Carbon County Sheriff James Cordova said Tuesday. The bullet exited through Gourno's abdomen.
"Trooper Bentley did pull the trigger," Cordova said.
Gourno - dubbed a career criminal by authorities - was taken to a hospital in Price and then transported to Salt Lake City's University Hospital, where he remained Tuesday.
Cordova said Gourno will be interviewed again before the investigation wraps up. The sheriff then will hand the case off to the Carbon County attorney, who will determine whether charges are filed against the trooper.
"We support their findings," said UHP Lt. Doug McCleve.
He said the UHP's Internal Affairs Section also was conducting an investigation and noted Bentley was on paid administrative leave pending that review.
"We want to be extremely thorough and careful," McCleve said.
He added that investigators want to ensure all circumstances are considered, including the fact that some of the troopers at the scene had responded earlier this month when a man was killed by law enforcement officers in a shoot-out in neighboring Duchesne County.
According to the Emery County Sheriff's Office, Gourno entered the Comfort Inn on Green River's main drag Sunday about 6:25 p.m. He allegedly pulled a gun on a clerk and demanded cash. Gourno didn't point it at the clerk and kept saying he didn't want any trouble, according to the sheriff's office.
Three UHP troopers began looking for the getaway vehicle. A trooper spotted it as it turned onto U.S. Highway 6 from Interstate 70. He discovered the vehicle was stolen from Indiana and tried to pull it over.
The vehicle allegedly raced off, topping 100 mph.
Two roadblocks were set up about 10 miles from Wellington and near the East Carbon junction. The suspect vehicle approached the first roadblock and pulled behind a trooper's cruiser.
"I can't think of a more dangerous and critical circumstance that these guys would find themselves in," McCleve said, noting that it was a desolate stretch of road.
Five troopers and two Adult Probation and Parole officers were on scene, all with guns drawn, Cordova said.
They ordered the driver, Audie Barnes, 29, of Ohio out of the vehicle and he complied, the sheriff said. Barnes, who is in the Emery County jail, walked backward toward the officers with his hands in the air.
Officers then ordered Gourno out of the vehicle. He, too, complied and was walking backward with his hands in the air when he was shot, Cordova said.