Jason Junior Evans had little to celebrate on his 21st birthday. A jury con-victed him Friday of two first-degree felony counts of attempting to murder two West Valley police detectives last August.
Evans was convicted of using a Chinese-made SKS semiautomatic assault rifle to wound detective Robert Idle and shoot at another undercover detective, Kory Newbold.The jury deliberated about three hours, also convicting Evans of a third-degree felony charge of fleeing from police but finding him not guilty of a third attempted homicide charge, shooting at undercover detective Chad Evans during the same Aug. 15 traffic stop.
Idle was hit seven times in the head, stomach, wrist and thigh in the fusillade of 20 rounds from the rifle. Idle fired back, emptying the 18-shot clip in his 9mm handgun, but most of the shots went into the air as he fell backward.
Evans testified Thursday he didn't realize the cars behind him were police cars when he pulled over. And, he said, he pulled the assault rifle out of his car and began firing when he saw someone he didn't recognize as a police officer advancing on him with a gun.
"It was obvious the jury didn't for a moment buy Jason Evans' story that he didn't know they were police officers," said Salt Lake District Attorney Neal Gunnarson, who prosecuted the case.
He called Evans' story "baloney" and said Evans "told a flat-out lie right from the beginning" in his summation to the jury.
His reaction on hearing it, Gunnarson told the jurors, was "Aww, come on. Get real. This is the real world."
Defense attorney Robin Youngberg told the jurors the case hinges on what was in Evans' mind as he got out of his car during the traffic stop.
"The case is about what Jason knew. Let's get that straight," Youngberg said, suggesting Evans was blinded by the car headlights he was staring into and couldn't discern the men were police officers.
Youngberg described what happened as "a series of events that came together in a horrible way - but not an attempt to kill three police officers."
Idle said he's satisfied with the outcome, although he would have liked to see a third conviction on the charge of shooting at Chad Evans.
"I'm glad Jason Evans won't be preying on society any more," said Idle. "I'm glad he'll be where he's going for the rest of his life." The two first-degree felony convictions carry prison terms of five years to life.
Asked if he forgives Evans, Idle hesitated a moment, then said, "I'm not a priest." But the officer did say he feels sorry for what Evans has done, for the effect on his and Idle's families.
Idle said he's relieved the trial ordeal, which was marked by two mistrial motions from the defense, is over. "Now I can get on with my life. I can concentrate on my work, my life and my family," Idle said.
Idle is scheduled for another wrist surgery next week, which will keep him from working for another four to six weeks, he said.
Gunnarson said after hearing the verdict he is "gratified that the person who attempted to kill one of our police officers was brought to justice. I'm very gratified the jury found him guilty on two first-degree felonies.
"If the sentences run consecutively, he'll be gone a long time," Gunnarson said of Evans.
Judge Timothy Hanson set sentencing for Feb. 26.