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HEBER CITY — The man whose body was discovered at Jordanelle State Park on Thursday has been identified by law enforcement.
A social media post by the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office says Patrick L. Hayes, 61, of Hideout, Wasatch County, is the man whose body was found at the entrance to the park.
The investigation began about 11 a.m. on Thursday when the Utah Division of State Parks and the sheriff's office responded to a call of a possible suicide near the Ross Creek Day Use Area. When deputies arrived, they located Hayes' body outside a car on the shoulder of a roadway, where it had been sitting for hours with the blinker on before it was reported.
Investigators quickly determined that Hayes' death was criminal in nature but did not release a cause of death. An autopsy performed by the State Medical Examiner's Office determined that he had been shot with a firearm and died at the scene, the sheriff's office said. The medical examiner ruled the manner of death was homicide.
The sheriff's office said they believe Hayes' death was related to a road rage incident near the area that had occurred about 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Security footage obtained by officers showed Hayes' vehicle being followed by another vehicle and stopping at the park's entrance before the man's death.
Based on the video, investigators are looking for a Jeep Gladiator or a Jeep Rubicon that may have front-end damage. Anyone with information should call the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office at 435-654-1411.
