CEDAR CITY — A Cedar City man accused of shooting another man during a suspected road rage incident on Wednesday afternoon is facing multiple felony charges.
Jason Bryan Stolworthy, 46, was booked into Iron County Jail on Wednesday evening. According to a probable cause statement filed with 5th District Court, he faces one count of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony; one count of aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; one count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; two counts of reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor; and one count of reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor.
The probable cause affidavit provides additional details about the incident, which happened around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“It was reported that two males, one in a car and another on a motorcycle, were involved in an altercation in the area of Main Street and Center Street in Cedar City,” an investigating Cedar City Police detective wrote in the affidavit. “It was reported that they then drove off. It was further reported that the motorcycle was aggressively following (the) other vehicle.”
A witness reportedly observed the motorcycle weaving in and out of traffic as it followed the car north on Main Street, at one point pulling in front of it.
The shooting incident reportedly took place shortly after the two men had stopped their vehicles on the south side of Fiddlers Canyon Road, just east of Main Street and across from a convenience store.
“Officers were able to obtain a cell phone video that caught part of the altercation,” the detective wrote in the affidavit, adding, “It showed the driver of the vehicle walking towards the driver of the motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle is seen pulling a gun out. Several gunshots are then heard.”
The car driver, who reportedly sustained a gunshot wound to the upper chest, was first transported to Cedar City Hospital, then airlifted to St. George Regional Hospital for treatment. Cedar City Police Lt. JR Robinson told Cedar City News on Thursday morning that although the man is still listed in critical condition, he is expected to make a lengthy but full recovery.
According to the affidavit, at least one of the bullets that was fired struck a passing car that had two people inside.
Following the shooting, the motorcyclist got back on his bike and sped away.
Shortly thereafter, according to the affidavit, officers were able to locate a man matching the motorcyclist’s description at a nearby residence, where he was attempting to load a motorcycle into the back of a truck.
“When the male saw the officer, he put his hands on his head and started walking towards him,” the affidavit states.
The suspect, who was later identified as Stolworthy, was then taken into custody without further incident.
According to the affidavit, officers obtained a search warrant for Stolworthy’s residence and vehicles and found several items of evidence, including a black handgun on the driveway, the gun’s magazine and a loose bullet inside the garage.
“The bullet found was the same caliber as the casings found at the scene of the shooting,” the affidavit states.
Inside the garage, officers also reportedly found a black motorcycle helmet, a green military-style backpack, and a pair of black gloves — items that matched what witnesses said the shooter had been wearing.
Stolworthy is currently being held without bail in Iron County Jail as he awaits his initial court appearance.
“This offense involves the use of a firearm and resulted in serious bodily injury,” the investigator wrote in the affidavit as he recommended that Stolworthy be held without bail.
“Stolworthy fled from the incident,” the officer added. “He was found attempting to load the suspect vehicle into another vehicle. He was also found in close proximity to multiple firearms. If he were released at this time, I have reason to believe he would be a danger to the community and/or flee the jurisdiction.”
A search of Utah court records shows no criminal history for Stolworthy other than a speeding ticket in Juab County in 2014, for which he paid $270. He also was cited for speeding in Iron County in 2021 but that infraction was later dismissed after he successfully completed a road safety course and paid a fee of $155.
This report is based on statements from court documents and law enforcement officials and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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