Court documents describe violent assault after alleged intentional hit-and-run
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ST. ANTHONY — Court documents reveal new details about two men who allegedly attacked the occupants of a car they sideswiped.
Randy A. Wheeler, 37, is charged with two counts of felony aggravated battery, causing great bodily harm, and misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident. Tayson P. Thomas, 19, is charged with two counts of felony aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
RELATED | Two arrested after allegedly violently attacking passengers of car they hit
On Saturday, Aug. 2, around 11:10 p.m., police say two men in a car were reportedly sideswiped by a vehicle driven by Wheeler with Thomas as a passenger.
Wheeler continued driving south onto 2300 East before stopping at 200 North 2300 East.
Court documents say the victims believed they stopped to exchange information about the sideswiping, but when they got out of their car, they were attacked by Wheeler and Thomas.
Wheeler allegedly “continued striking (one of the victims) on the ground even after the victim lost consciousness.”
This victim reportedly suffered orbital fractures on the bottom of both eyes, a fracture on the top of his right eye, a broken nose on both sides, a corneal abrasion and a concussion.
Court documents say it appeared that Wheeler was trying to kill this victim.
The other victim, a younger man, reportedly ran to help the unconscious driver of the car he was in, but was attacked by Thomas.
Police reports say Thomas used a weapon and stabbed the younger victim with a weapon in the top right side of his chest, slashed his face from the right side of his mouth to his jaw line, and slashed the victim’s right forearm.
Fremont County Sheriff Bart Quayle tells EastIdahoNews.com that investigators believe the weapon was “a screwdriver or some type of similar weapon.”
The second victim also suffered fractures to his nose, bleeding in his right eye, an abrasion on his right eye, and a broken top front tooth. Court documents say it appeared that Thomas was also intending to kill the victim.
Wheeler and Thomas both ran from the scene before police arrived, but were arrested Thursday afternoon and booked into the Fremont County Jail with $75,000 bonds. No contact orders were issued for both victims.
Wheeler and Thomas are expected to appear for preliminary hearings on Aug. 20.
If convicted, Wheeler could face up to 35 years in prison, and Thomas could face up to 30 years in prison.
Though Wheeler and Thomas have been charged with these crimes, this does not necessarily mean they committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.