Driver, passenger jailed after alleged racist road rage in Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY — One person is in the hospital and two others behind bars after a reportedly racist road rage incident Monday.

Police allege Adrian Brown, 22, was driving a silver Hyundai when he crossed four lanes of traffic on eastbound I-80 and nearly ran an Amazon van off the road.

Police said Brown, his passenger — 24-year-old Tyler Joshua Foutz — and the truck driver exited onto 700 E. and proceeded south. Brown and Foutz, who are both white, reportedly called the Amazon van driver, who is Black, the N-word after moving in front of the van and slamming on the brakes.

After that, the Amazon driver and Brown both exited their vehicles. At this point, police said the Amazon driver reportedly pepper-sprayed Brown.

Witnesses told police the men returned to their respective vehicles and drove off.

“About 45 minutes later, we received a call of shots fired,” said Unified Police’s Sgt. Melody Cutler. “The Amazon truck driver had called [police] and stated that the same vehicle he’d been involved with earlier had returned and was now shooting at him.”

Cutler said Unified Police located Brown’s vehicle and began to pursue it.

“At about 3300 South and 1300 East that vehicle ran a red light, striking another vehicle and causing that vehicle to roll,” Cutler said.

The driver of the car that rolled was hospitalized.

Brown faces counts of failure to stop at the command of a police officer, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, driving under the influence and possession of a weapon by a restricted person.

Foutz faces six counts of felony discharge of a firearm.