Three nabbed in Orem drive-by shooting

Three suspects in a weekend drive-by shooting in Orem have been arrested, police say.

Orem police Lt. Craig Martinez said the three men, two determined to be in the country illegally, were being held without bail on Monday in Utah County Jail. They were booked on suspicion of attempted murder and felony discharge of a firearm with gang enhancements.

Martinez said the incident occurred at 10:38 p.m. Saturday at 140 N. 400 East, where the purported target of the gunfire was sitting inside his pickup truck, talking on his cell phone.

The victim told police that was when he heard five gunshots, one of which shattered a back window just inches from his head. Another of the rounds struck the tailgate, two more lodged in a house and the last round had not been located as of Monday.

No one was injured, Martinez said.

The victim was able to spot the suspect vehicle and give a good description of the white Dodge Durango SUV — and provide police with the name of a possible suspect.

Officers responding to a 911 call spotted the vehicle making a left turn to head southbound in the area of 400 South and State Street. The SUV was pulled over and three men inside — two Provo residents, ages 36 and 25, and a 25-year-old from Springville — were arrested.

"Officers found spent shell casings both on the street and in the [suspect vehicle]," Martinez said. "The guns — a handgun and a rifle — were recovered a short time later outside a house at 63 S. Sage Drive."

Following questioning, the suspects were jailed early Sunday morning.

Though gang enhancements were added to the booking charges due to the number of suspects involved in the incident, detectives were still trying to sort out the specific motive for the drive-by, Martinez said.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims