Hideout resident Patrick Hayes was killed in a suspected road rage incident late Sept. 25 at the entrance to the Ross Creek day-use area at Jordanelle State Park.
His family and the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office are renewing their pleas for the public to look at their dashcam footage and come forward with any information that could help the investigation.
During a Thursday news conference near the spot where Hayes was killed, Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby shared more details of the incident.
“It's somewhat of a remote area, and at the same time, there's a lot of travel through here and we really do believe that there are individuals that saw or heard, and even though they might not be aware that their piece of information could be helpful to us, that we really do need what they saw or heard,” Rigby said.
Investigators are now focusing on looking for a Jeep Gladiator. Other Jeep models were previously suspected, but Rigby said investigators are more confident the suspect vehicle involved in Hayes’ death was a Jeep Gladiator.
Rigby also clarified that there may or may not be damage to the front end of the vehicle, depending on if it’s been repaired in the two weeks since Hayes’ death.
The medical examiner’s office has also determined, Rigby said, that Hayes’ death was a homicide. He was killed with a single gunshot to the chest from a .45-caliber handgun.
Rigby also shared a detailed timeline of events on the night Hayes was killed. Hayes left his son’s home in Midvale at about 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 25. By 10:44 p.m. he was driving east on Interstate 80.
When Hayes got to the Kimball Junction area at 10:58 p.m., something out of the ordinary happened, Rigby said. Using cell phone data, investigators determined that in the 400 yards before the Kimball Junction overpass, Hayes appeared to be driving the speed limit and it took 12 seconds to travel those 400 yards. However, it took him one minute and 33 seconds for him to travel the 400 yards after the overpass.
“Pat’s cellphone was continuing to move, it did not stop in that 400-yard area where it takes him a minute and 33 seconds. What we're looking for specifically is anyone that was in that Kimball's junction area just before 11p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25,” Rigby said.
After the strange slow down, the 61-year-old continued to drive toward his home in Hideout at normal speeds and times. He turned onto Highway 40 then took the Park City exit and turned left onto state Route 248. Hayes then turned right onto Shoreline Dr. in Hideout.
However, instead of continuing home on Shoreline Dr., Ribgy said Hayes turned right at about 11:15 p.m. and stopped in front of the Ross Creek day-use area entrance.
There is camera footage of Hayes then getting out of his car and walking toward the Jeep, which pulls up behind him.
“As he does that, this suspect vehicle makes an erratic turn to the right towards Pat, and Pat tries to move out of the way. Then the suspect vehicle seems to make another erratic movement to the right. We can tell this only because the headlights of that suspect vehicle seem to be moving and Pat seems to be moving along with those headlights, trying to stay safe,” Rigby said.
Hayes then speaks to someone in the Jeep and then a gunshot rings out. Rigby said the shot is heard but not seen.
Hayes was found at 11 a.m. the next morning; his car still running, the driver’s side door open and blinkers flashing.
Rigby said investigators suspect Hayes’ death stems from a suspected road rage incident because tire rub marks were found on the rear passenger side of his Volkswagen.
Rigby said despite enhancing the video, a license plate number, vehicle color and number of people in the Jeep could not be determined. He also said investigators have decided not to release the video or 911 recordings as they say it could impact a prosecution.
Hayes’ family joined Rigby near the site of their loved ones death in hopes the public will come forward with any information.
Hayes’ fiance SueAnn Kern said this experience has left her devastated and numb.
“This has put a huge hole in our family and our community, Patrick was loved by so many,” she said. “He's going to be missed so much by so many people.”
Hayes was known in the community as a local businessman with a passion for swimming and water polo. He was an athlete at the University of Utah, receiving NCAA Division I All-American honors in swimming. He continued to coach and play water polo throughout his life at the local, national and international levels.
Hayes’ son Christian Hayes said there are people all over the country who care about his dad.
“He was always kind of larger than life, you know. I mean, he was almost six foot six, s o he definitely was larger than all of us, but he had a big personality, and he loved hard. He loved everybody hard,” he said. “Swimming, water polo, he touched the community forever. There's people all over the country that loved him.”
Christian Hayes was with his dad just hours before he was killed. The two saw each other every week.
“We picked a new Italian place near my house we hadn't been to before, and, you know, he had a glass of wine, I had a beer, and we watched TV and just watched music videos and just joked. My best friend, who basically was my dad's second son, was there too,” he said. “We just spent the night together, the three of us, and, you know, hugged him and told him I loved him, and that was that.”
A memorial is set up at the site where Hayes was killed. Loved ones have placed flowers, photos and waterpolo and swimming mementos there in his honor.
Anyone with information on Hayes’ death should contact the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office at (435) 654-1411.
