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- Brett Orin Wardle, 50, was charged with aggravated assault in a road rage case.
- The incident occurred at Brighton High School, involving a woman stopped for students.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Criminal charges were filed Wednesday against a Cottonwood Heights man who police say was involved in a road rage confrontation in a high school parking lot.
Brett Orin Wardle, 50, is charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated assault, a second-degree felony. The charge comes with a road-rage penalty enhancement if convicted.
On March 14, in the parking lot at Brighton High School, 2220 E. Bengal Blvd., a woman "was stopped in traffic at the pickup/drop off area and waited for students in the crosswalk as school had just let out." The driver in a vehicle behind her, Wardle, became "frustrated she was not moving. Wardle motioned for (the woman) to move forward and Wardle hit the back of her vehicle," according to charging documents.
The woman "did not move forward as the crosswalk was still occupied and Wardle hit her more times," the charges state.
Once the crosswalk was clear, the woman pulled forward and to the side of the road to inspect the damage to her vehicle. She then began to video Wardle, who also got out of his car, but he drove away before police arrived, charges say.
Responding officers "reviewed school surveillance video that showed the incident as reported. The crosswalk was occupied by students and (the woman) was waiting until the crosswalk was clear. Wardle struck (her) vehicle three times, causing (her)vehicle to lurch forward while minors are crossing the street in the crosswalk," according to the charges.
When police called Wardle, "despite being told there was video of the incident, Wardle continued to deny there had been an impact. When asked why he checked the front end of his vehicle, Wardle then claimed (the woman) had rolled back into his vehicle," the court documents state.
Officers checked Wardle's driving record and said they noticed an escalating pattern of aggressive driving. Because of that, prosecutors have requested a no-bail warrant.
"There is clear and convincing evidence that (Wardle) does not recognize/believe in police authority or state laws as demonstrated by his pending cases for the same type of conduct on the roadway with the intent to endanger or intimidate the victim. (He) has exhibited behaviors that have escalated and require intervention," the charges state.
