WEST VALLEY CITY — Two women and a 15-year-old boy were both shot inside a vehicle late Saturday in West Valley City. One of the women later died from her injuries.
Just before midnight, officers were called on the report of a 15-year-old gunshot victim who had gone into the Holiday Oil at 3086 S. 2700 West. The teenager had a gunshot wound to his right shoulder but was able to speak to officers, said West Valley Police Lt. Shane Matheson.
While officers were helping the boy, another vehicle pulled into the gas station with Angela Montoya, 34, in the back seat who was being driven to a hospital. Paramedics attended to her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, Matheson said.
Montoya, of West Valley City, had been shot in the head, said West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku.
Jayson Rue Chase, 38, was arrested in connection with the shootings and was booked into Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of murder, aggravated assault, felony discharge of a firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, and obstruction of justice.
The original driver of the vehicle was also believed to have been shot in the shoulder. Police found blood on the driver's seat but had not located her and do not know if the woman sought medical attention, according to a police affidavit filed in 3rd District Court.
"However, this person drove to another location in the area and got out of the car. At that time, a different person, known to those in the vehicle, got into the car and set out to drive to a hospital to get help for the woman in the back seat," Vainuku said in a statement.
All three victims had been in the vehicle together, along with two other people, when they were shot in the area of 3300 South and 2700 West.
“We believe that the shots actually came from a party inside of the vehicle. There was nobody outside the vehicle shooting in, but the shots actually came from inside the vehicle,” Matheson said.
The 15-year-old "didn't know, really, any of the other occupants in the vehicle," he said.
Police did not say why they were in the vehicle together, nor did they provide details about the relationships between anyone inside the vehicle or what circumstances led up to the shooting.
"At this time, it appears five people were traveling northbound on 2700 West inside the vehicle, including Jayson Chase who was a passenger in the back seat. Witnesses inside the vehicle reported hearing popping sounds coming from the back seat. The two passengers seated alongside Chase in the back seat were shot," Vainuku said.
Additional information about the teenager's condition was not immediately available.
After he was shot, the teenager got out of the vehicle and fled. The vehicle left the scene for some time before the second driver stopped at the Holiday Oil to ask officers there for help with the injured woman, according to Matheson.
While police were investigating the scene at 3100 S. 2700 West, "Chase calls 911 from another gas station/convenient store at 3500 S. 3200 West and reports that people were chasing him. Upon officers' response to Chase's location, he stated to the officers that he had a gun, but discarded it at a nearby construction site. Chase was observed to be emotional and excited at the time of contact," according to the affidavit.
While officers drove Chase to the police station, they said he was "cantankerous and physically challenging" to a detective. When the detective told him he wanted to interview him about his call to 911, Chase said he "wished for a lawyer and to just book him into jail," the affidavit states.
Matheson said Chase also made "incriminating statements" and police realized that he "had knowledge of what had happened with the other two victims."
Chase has a lengthy criminal history in Utah of theft, attempted theft and drug possession charges, according to state court records.