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WEST VALLEY CITY — A man was shot in the leg Wednesday after he got out of his vehicle to confront another driver in what police are calling a road rage incident.

Peter Bierly, 32, of West Valley City, was found lying in the middle of the road at 3550 South and 4000 West with a gunshot wound in his leg about 6:20 p.m. after officers responded to multiple calls from eyewitnesses.

After Bierly and transported him to a local hospital with serious injuries, officers learned he had earlier been heading to the hospital when he got shot, said West Valley Police Lt. Scott Buchanan.

"(Bierly) was a passenger in a car that was heading to the (Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Valley City), and they were taking a family member to the hospital," Buchanan said. "And so apparently they were in a hurry and maybe speeding or exhibiting some other driving behavior that caused another driver to take offense."

Buchanan said police are still investigating exactly what happened, but according to witnesses, a silver or grey, newer Dodge Charger or 300M Chrysler with tinted windows and silver rims made aggressive maneuvers to block the victim's vehicle from making a lane change.

A face-to-face confrontation then unfolded when both cars stopped at a red light on northbound 3550 South, the lieutenant said.

"Our victim got out of his car … and decided to walk back and have a conversation with the (three men) that were in the other car," Buchanan said.

The conversation became "heated," he said, and the back seat passenger rolled down the window and fired at least one round at Bierly, striking him in the leg.

Buchanan said when emergency responders arrived, the vehicle Bierly was riding in had already left to take a "family member" needing emergency medical attention to the hospital. He said Bierly's mother stayed behind, however, to accompany Bierly until he could could medical attention as well.

The gunman's vehicle was also gone by the time officers arrived.

According to witnesses, it was occupied by three males described as Hispanic or Polynesian. The person in the back seat was described as a larger man with long hair wearing a black baseball cap.

Police are still working to track down the occupants of that vehicle.

The vehicle's license plate was noted as E0030N, which wasn't a valid plate, Buchanan said, but it's the best estimate witnesses could give.

"If anybody sees anything similar to that on a vehicle that matches the description, we would like to know," he said.

Buchanan urged motorists to refrain from engaging in road rage confrontations.

"If you're involved in a situation where somebody else is being aggressive, just call the police. Don't get out of the car and confront them, please," he said.

Anyone with information about the incident can call West Valley police at 801-840-4000.

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