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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who investigators believe has been driving around the Wasatch Front and intentionally hitting female pedestrians at random is now facing multiple charges of attempted murder.
Ahn Duy Pham, 26, who prosecutors say is homeless and was living out of his car, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with six counts of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; four counts of failing to stop at an accident with serious injury, a third-degree felony; and two counts of failing to stop at an accident with injury, a class A misdemeanor.
Prosecutors say Pham "has targeted females in crosswalks and walking along the roads" and "does not know the female victims and has been choosing females at random to hit," according to charging documents.
Pham is also under investigation for at least two other hit-and-run incidents in Salt Lake City and one in Summit County, the charges state.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill called the alleged crimes "predatory targetings shrouded in the shadow of accidents." While they are only allegations right now, he said the evidence is "disturbing."
"There's evidence that he saw individuals," Gill said. "He actually drove by several times, identifying these individuals."
Police say the first incident occurred on Aug. 22 when Samantha Matthews was hit near 1000 West and 500 South. Pham pulled up to Matthews and asked her several times to get into his car before she started to run away, according to the charges. Witnesses say the vehicle then "sped up and hit Samantha, causing her to fly over the vehicle and land on the ground hard" as the car sped away. The woman suffered minor injuries.
On Feb. 24, Sandy police were called to a hit-and-run near 1700 East and 11500 South. Jocelyn Peirce and her 16-year-old daughter, Madalyn, were walking in the shoulder when they were hit by a car. Surveillance video later collected by police showed Pham's vehicle "driving down the street three times prior to the accident. Security footage showed that on the third pass down the street, the white Toyota is driving slowly in the bicycle lane," the charges state. "Jocelyn suffered an epidural hematoma, temporal bone fracture and blunt force trauma. (Madalyn) suffered a scalp laceration, back injuries and abrasions."
Four days later, on Feb. 28, Salt Lake police were called to a hit-and-run crash at Douglas Avenue and Laird Avenue. Martha Knudsen and Janette Brummett were hit by a car from behind. One woman said she "heard a vehicle accelerating" before being hit, according to the charges.
"Martha suffered a concussion, lacerations to her head, and fractured front teeth," the court documents say. "Janette lost consciousness at the scene and suffered a brain bleed, a concussion, hand fracture, and lacerations to her head and scalp."
Then on March 11, police were called just before 5 a.m. to another hit-and-run crash at 600 W. North Temple. Two women were in a crosswalk when one of them saw a white vehicle "traveling fast" and moments later hit Nisha Shrestha. Witnesses "confirmed that the light was red for the white car when it picked up speed and intentionally drove in the direction" of the woman.
Two witnesses told police that prior to the crash, they saw Pham "approach them at a slow speed, which 'creeped them out,'" the charges state. "Security footage shows (the women) waiting for their light to cross while the Toyota slowly drives in the bicycle lane. ... Security video confirmed that the driver of the Toyota did not use his brakes, nor attempt to stop before hitting Nisha." Shrestha suffered critical injuries.
Based on evidence collected from that crash, police were able to track down the vehicle, which was found at Liberty Park on March 13. Pham was inside the vehicle and he was taken into custody.
Gill said other cases are being looked into, and he encouraged anyone who believes they might be a victim to reach out to law enforcement officials.
Salt Lake police confirmed Monday they are investigating a similar incident involving Dacia Davis, who believes she was also hit by Pham.
Davis said she was with friends crossing a street near 1300 East and 900 South on March 2 when a car came out of nowhere and hit them as it was turning right. Davis broke some bones in the collision.
"We were almost done crossing; it definitely felt a little intentional — it didn't feel like an accident," she said.
Davis said she didn't hear any brakes screeching and that the incident happened so fast she couldn't see the driver, but she and her friends did see it was a white Toyota that hit her.
"It felt like I was reading about my case," she said, referring to the news articles about the prior hit-and-runs. "I'm really just hoping that this guy can go away for a long time, like that is terrifying"
Contributing: Brianna Chavez
