A Vernal man who police say shot and wounded a sergeant before he was injured in the shootout himself has been charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors.
Rooku Rosscol Curry, 27, has been charged in 8th District Court with two counts of attempted aggravated murder and discharge of a gun causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; and possession of a gun by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
He also faces charges of aggravated assault and illegal discharge of a gun, third-degree felonies; and threatening to use a weapon in a fight and failing to stop at the command of police, both class A misdemeanors.
According to charging documents, police received a call shortly before noon Saturday about an intoxicated man with a gun in the area of 750 North and 400 East in Vernal.
When officers drove up to him, Curry began firing a handgun at them, police said. Vernal police Sgt. Chad Watt was hit “several times” and drove himself to a local hospital. He was then flown to a Salt Lake City hospital, where he remains in stabilized.
According to a probable cause statement, two police vehicles were struck by gunfire, and officers fired back at Curry, wounding him. He ran away, but was taken into custody a short time later. Curry was also flown to a Salt Lake City hospital.
A Uintah County Sheriff deputy was also treated for minor injuries and released.
According to the probable cause statement, Curry was arguing with a neighbor about where a camper trailer was parked when he “pulled out a firearm and chambered a round,” then pointed the gun at the neighbor’s head.
The neighbor’s wife called police, and the neighbor later told investigators Curry said “he was not afraid to die or go back to jail.”
The neighbor told Curry to lower the gun, and he did. Police soon pulled up, and Curry began firing, the document states.
It marked the seventh police shooting in Utah this year, according to a database maintained by The Salt Lake Tribune
As of Tuesday morning, no court date had been scheduled for Curry.
Correction • May 2, 10:10 a.m.: The story has been updated to correct the name of the defendant.
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