Man assaults camper in Tooele County, charges state

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TOOELE — A man who allegedly assaulted another man because he didn’t want him camping in the area was arrested by Tooele County Sheriff’s deputies.

Michael Jay Duncan, 55, of Salt Lake City, was arrested Monday and formally charged later that afternoon in 3rd District Court with illegal discharge of a firearm and aggravated assault, both third-degree felonies, and assault, a class A misdemeanor.

The incident happened Sunday night in Skull Valley near Lone Rock off state Route 199. A man was setting up camp when Duncan pulled alongside him, according to a police affidavit.

“He told the victim he couldn’t be there and he had a gun. Michael then shoved and hit the victim in the stomach. The victim punched back in self-defense hitting Mike in the face. At that time Mike pulled his gun from his pocket and pointed it in the victim’s direction,” the affidavit states.

Duncan fired three rounds into the ground, according to the affidavit. As the man ran to his car to get his phone and get away, “The victim stated the guy fired at least two more times as he ran away. The victim stated he ran down the hill toward the highway. Mike was still yelling at him that he couldn’t be there and called him a coward. The victim stated he heard a few more shots but couldn’t tell what he was shooting at that time,” the affidavit states.

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