West Valley man charged with attempted homicide

Crime • Suspect tried to leave scene of hit-and-run.

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A 21-year-old West Valley City man has been charged with attempted murder for almost hitting a man who was trying to stop him from leaving the scene of a crash.

The May 24 hit-and-run ended shortly after a West Valley City motorcycle officer shot at Jose Alberto Contreras as he raced toward the officer, according to charges filed Wednesday in 3rd District Court.

Contreras crashed his car into a fence post and a woman, who suffered minor injuries, near 3500 South and 5400 West, according to the charges

A witness to the crash tried to stop the Contreras from leaving the scene, but the driver drove "in a manner endangering the life and safety" of the witness, the charges state.

A West Valley City police officer attempted to stop the driver, but Contreras accelerated and continued toward the officer, according to court documents.

The officer fired shots at the driver but missed him. Contreras crashed the car in a neighborhood and tried to run away.

In addition to being charged with first-degree felony attempted homicide, the driver faces felony counts of aggravated assault and failing to respond to an officer's signal to stop.