Salt Lake County sheriff's officials aren't sure how long three deputies will be on administrative leave while the department and the district attorney's office investigate an early morning shooting that left two men wounded.
Chet DeMill, 31, and Wayne Cheney, 32, were shot by deputies when they refused to stop for the officers and began ramming the patrol vehicles about 1 a.m. Thursday.Deputy Joseph Studstrup, deputy Jeff Smith and reserve deputy Todd Sisneros are on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Studstrup and Sisneros tried to pull over a vehicle driven by DeMill at the intersection of 3900 S. 900 East. The suspect vehicle sped away from the deputies and a chase ensued.
Within minutes, the fleeing vehicle crashed into a fire hydrant in a Millcreek neighborhood. Deputies tried to block the vehicle, but the driver began ramming patrol cars.
Shots were fired by all three deputies when the suspect vehicle started to speed toward deputy Jeff Smith, who was crouched behind the open door of his patrol car.
Cheney was hit in the chest, stomach and leg and DeMill was shot once in the arm. Cheney was flown to LDS Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition. DeMill was taken to St. Mark's Hospital, where he underwent surgery yesterday and was listed in good condition Friday morning.
Cheney jumped from the moving vehicle and asked for medical help near the end of the chase. DeMill was caught when he parked the car and tried to run from deputies on foot.
Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Rod Norton said the length of the deputies' leave depends on a number of factors. The sheriff can bring the officers back when he chooses, but Norton said he'll wait to see how the investigation proceeds and how the officers deal with an incident that left a number of them shaken.