Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
LAKE POWELL, Kane County — A man arrested Sunday after police say he fired about 50 rounds at a group of campers at Lake Powell is now facing criminal charges.
Scott Vanderplas, 46, of Ivins, was charged Wednesday in 6th District Court with three counts of aggravated assault and illegal discharge of a firearm, third-degree felonies; drug possession, a class A misdemeanor; carrying a weapon while under the influence of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors; and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.
About 8 p.m. Sunday, the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation received a 911 call reporting that a man was shooting at a group of campers near Dangling Rope Marina. National Park Service rangers responded to the area along with officers from the Division of Outdoor Recreation.
The first arriving officers spotted Vanderplas standing without pants and a handgun was on the ground nearby, according to a police booking affidavit.
"We found eight expended casings in the area that were 9mm," the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit. "We located the reporting party who told us that Vanderplas had approached them on a small raft he had. They talked a little while, though they wanted him to leave since they were starting dinner. Once they asked him to leave, he became violent and told them he would 'slit their throats' and to 'just wait and see, there is nothing you can do.'"
According to charging documents filed Wednesday, Vanderplas "was in a small motorized dingy" when he approached the four campers. After being asked to leave, he "later returned and fired approximately 50 gunshots at the group of four individuals. The gunshots struck the rocks near where they were and a cooler that they were using," the charges state.
The campers ran into the hills nearby for cover as Vanderplas "began circling the camp," the affidavit states.
"He began boating back and forth 'tracking' them, according to the party. They saw Vanderplas point a light in their direction and then start shooting toward them. They said they could hear the bullets going nearby," according to the affidavit. "The party stated that he was shooting from the boat, which later was found to have the same casings as were found by the Glock."
Emergency dispatchers informed the officers on scene that Vanderplas had also "recently been trying to sell methamphetamine."
