LOGAN, Utah — A 30-year-old man pleaded not guilty to attempted murder after shooting at first responders at a crash scene.
Cache Valley Daily reported that Cade M. Austin, 30, was driving erratically before he crashed into a large natural gas regulating device on Dec. 15. He then brandished a handgun and exchanged gunfire with Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Hunt. Hunt, who is also a reserve police officer, took the witness stand during Tuesday’s hearing.
He testified how he became nervous and un-holstered his handgun when Austin refused to get out of the car while fidgeting with something under his sweatshirt. Austin later pulled out a handgun from his waistband.
“Everything was just so fast,” Hunt said. “I made the conscious decision that if his firearm made it up to our level, one of us was going to die. I couldn’t allow that to happen. So I fired my weapon.”
Hunt explained how he aimed his gun into the car in the direction of Austin’s chest and fired. He said he couldn’t remember who shot first, but that they exchanged several rounds.
Austin, who was drinking alcohol from a bottle, was later pulled from the car by SWAT team members after losing consciousness. He was transported to a hospital and treated for gunshot wounds to the chest and right shoulder.
Austin is being held without bail in a county jail. He’s charged with two counts of attempted murder, interfering with an arresting officer, reckless driving and having an open container inside a vehicle.
He was ordered to appear again in court on Feb. 29.