SALT LAKE CITY — A Draper man accused of accidentally shooting a young boy in a car while target shooting near U.S. 89 did not initially cooperate with authorities, according to newly unsealed court documents.

Camryn Daniel Summerhays, 27, was charged Dec. 6 with illegal discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony, and two counts of reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor.

On Nov 23, a 9-year-old boy was in the back seat of an SUV headed north on U.S. 89 near Mt. Pleasant, when he was hit in the shoulder by the bullet, according to Sanpete County officials. The child was in the car with his sister and grandfather at the time. 

“The driver of the vehicle stated that they were traveling north on 89 when something hit the windshield and male child started screaming,” a search warrant affidavit filed in 6th District Court states.

A bullet went through the windshield on the passenger side of the Dodge Durango and struck the boy in the right shoulder, police say. The boy required surgery to have the bullet removed.

Once the driver pulled over, he reported hearing more gunshots coming from east of the highway. At least two other witnesses told police they also heard the gunshots in the area of Summerhays’ cabin and saw two adults and a child in that area, according to the warrant.

When an officer made contact with Summerhays and his wife, he “noted various inconsistencies in their stories,” the affidavit states. “Camryn stated that they were just outside of the residence when they heard the gunshots.”

However, investigators said the direction and location of those shots as reported by Summerhays did not match what other witnesses had told detectives.

When police returned to the cabin for a second time, Summerhays and his wife again denied shooting guns, the warrant states. But after the officer explained what had happened, Summerhays allegedly admitted to shooting in only his front yard.

Police then questioned Summerhays’ 8-year-old son.

“I asked him to tell me what they had done that day. He told me that they had shot multiple times from various locations around the house, including down the driveway to the south. (He) spontaneously stated that they did not shoot from the back porch today,” according to the affidavit.

The officer then asked more about shooting from the back porch, which faces U.S. 89. The boy admitted there was target shooting with paper targets, the warrant states.

“I asked (the boy) if anyone had told him not to tell me they shot on the back porch today. He stated, ‘Not really.’ Camryn then interjected and would not let (the boy) answer on his own,” police wrote.

The Summerhays’ cabin is 400 yards east of U.S. 89 and 700 yards to the north of where the victim was shot, police noted.

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“There are no other nearby locations or reports of any other shots being fired that could explain a alternate suspect other than a person shooting from the Summerhays’ residence,” the warrant states.

Several guns, rounds of ammunition and shell casings were seized from the property.

Sanpete County Attorney Kevin Daniels said Friday that obstruction of justice charges were considered, and his office has the option of filing those charges in the future. However, he said once police informed Summerhays that he was potentially facing obstruction charges, he cooperated with authorities.

Summerhays’ initial court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 2.

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