A man was arrested Monday, Dec. 23, but not charged, according to court documents. This comes nearly three months to the day after the death of 61-year-old Patrick Hayes.
Hayes’ fiancée, Sue Ann Kern, said the arrest comes as a relief.
“It was absolutely heart-wrenching to think that he was about to spend another holiday with his family and friends while we still had a missing seat at our table,” she said. “So, when I got the news that the arrest had been made, I can’t even tell you – just [an] overwhelming, overwhelming sense of relief, and gratitude for the sheriff’s department and all the people that worked on this.”
Deputies said the man admitted to fatally shooting Hayes in a road rage incident Sept. 25, telling investigators he acted in self-defense.
An arrest affidavit said investigators detained and questioned the man in mid-November, though no arrest was made at the time. During that interview, the man allegedly admitted he shot Hayes and buried the gun near his home.
The affidavit said the man was arrested on suspicion of obstructing justice because he allegedly tried to hide the weapon used in the shooting, a .45 caliber Kimber 1911.
According to the affidavit, investigators used camera footage from the Ross Creek entrance of Jordanelle State Park and tracking data from cell towers to find the man arrested Monday.
On the night of the fatal shooting, investigators said the video shows the man pulled up in a Jeep Gladiator behind Hayes at around 11 p.m. They said the footage shows Hayes got out of his car and was standing near the passenger side of the Jeep when he was shot.
According to a November press release from the sheriff’s office, Hayes allegedly approached the Jeep holding a metal baton and a pocketknife.
After the shooting, investigators said the driver of the Jeep fled the scene. No report was made to law enforcement until about 12 hours later, when a passerby found Hayes’ body on the side of the road. His car was still running, with the driver’s door open and blinkers flashing.
Kern said the home she shared with Hayes sits above the reservoir, and she can see the scene of the shooting each time she steps outside.
“The pain will never go away,” she said. “The thing that breaks my heart is knowing that he was shot and left at 11 o’clock at night, no call to 911, no call for help, no call to an ambulance to come and see if he can be saved.”
Last month, sheriff’s deputies said they were considering “all possible crimes, including homicide, and considering all defenses, including self-defense.”
The suspect arrested Monday had not been charged as of Tuesday morning. It’s not clear if he’ll be charged in connection with the fatal shooting.
The man is being held without bail in the Wasatch County Jail.
The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday deputies plan to meet with prosecutors and the Hayes family Dec. 26.
