This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An early Monday morning stabbing marred the "peace and love" theme of the Rainbow Family gathering in the Uinta National Forest.
Leilani Novak-Garcia, known among the eclectic group as "Hitler," was arrested Monday night on suspicion of attempted murder.
Novak-Garcia, 32, had been honking her car horn for about a half hour when the victim approached her about 1 a.m. at a Wasatch County campsite where hundreds have gathered, according to charges. The victim, a 45-year-old man, asked Novak-Garcia to stop honking, "but she didn't want to," investigators wrote.
The victim then tried to remove fuses from under the hood of the car to disable the horn, when Novak-Garcia stabbed him in the head and shoulder, investigators wrote. Forest rangers said they heard someone scream, "I'll [expletive deleted] kill you." They found the victim bleeding from serious injuries in a nearby camp; Novak-Garcia's car was empty, but investigators later found her hiding in the camp.
The victim was taken to a hospital.
Meanwhile, Forest Service officials said Monday that approximately 650 people have now gathered in the Uinta National Forest as part of the Rainbow Family gathering. Forest service "resource advisers" visit the site daily, according to officials, to check the impact that the group is having on the area. Officials said an operating plan has been put in place, which addresses camping, cooking and parking. A dog leash order is also in place due to the number of dogs in the area.
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