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Subscribe to RSSTwo Utah men are facing charges of reckless endangerment after allegedly setting medieval-style booby traps near a popular hiking trail. KSL-TV's Sandra Yi reports.
SALT LAKE CITY -- A deadly booby trap rigged along a popular Utah trail could have killed someone if they had tripped a ground wire set up to send a 20-pound, spiked boulder swinging into an unsuspecting hiker, authorities said Monday.
Another trap was designed to trip a passer-by into a bed of sharpened wooden stakes, authorities said.
"This looks like something done just for the sake of hurting someone ... it's like something just out of someone's evil mind," Utah County Sheriff's Sergeant Spencer Cannon said. "This was not something just done as an afterthought. They took a lot of time to carve those sticks."
Two men arrested over the weekend on suspicion of misdemeanor reckless endangerment told authorities the traps were intended for wildlife, but investigators didn't believe the story.
Benjamin Steven Rutkowski, 19, of Orem and Kai Matthew Christensen, 21, of Provo were booked in the Utah County Jail on Saturday and released on bail. Prosecutors believed the misdemeanor reckless endangerment allegations were the strongest claims they could pursue without anyone being injured.
The suspects built a dead-wood shelter as a possible lure for hikers who could step inside only through the two booby-trapped entrances, Cannon said. "This is a shelter put together by people, visited by people — anything that would be impacted by their device would have to be humans," Cannon said.
"It took some time to build these traps. They took rope, heavy-duty fishing line, and they intended what the traps were going to do."
Utah County Sheriff's Department via AP
Part of a booby trap found along a hiking trail in Provo Canyon, Utah, left. Kai Christensen, upper right, and Steven Rutkowski, lower right, have been arrested on suspicion of setting traps.
The structure was easy to see, Cannon said, but the booby traps could have been overlooked by everyone except a military-trained officer like James Schoeffler of the U.S. Forest Service, who was on a routine patrol along Big Springs Trail last week when he noticed the trip wires.
Schoeffler was trained in hazardous device detection. "A lot of people go up there after dark, as well," Cannon said. "We're very, very fortunate that it was Officer Schoeffler who found it." The U.S. Forest Service has not made Schoeffler available for an interview.
Authorities said he disabled the traps after taking photos and video of the site. The area is located in Provo Canyon, a popular hiking spot a few miles from downtown Provo. Cannon said the traps were just a half-mile from a busy trailhead. "Who goes up this trail thinking, I'm going to have to look out for booby traps?" Cannon said. "A kid could say, 'Oh cool, a shelter,' and run right across the trip line."
Days after Schoeffler made the discovery, a tipster alerted authorities about comments on Facebook that mentioned the traps and the shelter.
Detectives then tracked down the suspects, Cannon said.
Charges have not yet been filed. Rutkowski's father, Steven, declined comment. No phone number was listed for Christensen, and it wasn't immediately clear if either suspect had an attorney.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Even after over 45 years since my NAM days, I still look for trip wires, especially when walking in the woods, which I love to do. It's just an old habit and done in a subliminal sense rather than a concious effort. Booby Traps, and that's what them two clowns built, do not have to be sophisticated, even medieval devices can maim and/or kill. Thank God the Park Ranger discovered them before that became a reality.
When you think you have just about heard it all and then comes these two jerks. If they went so far as to set traps to maim and kill someone, this is probably not the first time. I'm quite sure if you checked into their past, you will find two morons that have histories of bullying, assaults, and just all around trouble makers for the rest of society. The unfortunate side to this story is the fact that they will be released too soon to prey again and of course one of their defense will be..."I was abused when I was a child".
Just two more survivalists want to Be's , trying out lessons they have learned . Or you could say stupid is as stupid does .
Cub--- looks like one of them was already abused, did you see them ears?. Time has come to ban sticks.
On a serious note: with the modern devices idiots like these can make more serious devices that are less detectable. Guess the primitive way is more scary or demoralizing if this was war.
Paul, I agree. I'm just glad we aren't reading about dead bodies being attributed to their traps. The Park Ranger is the real hero in this story.
Misdemeanor sounds too light for the potential mayhem these aszholes wanted to cause. Hope they find something in their Facebook posts about their intent that allows the prosecutors to up the charges to felony.
Isn't there 'attempted murder" in the Utah laws? It appears the police had enough to ask for a search warrant for their cars and homes to have them face serious charges. Those sharp points on the sticks look like daggers made to penetrate. The police certainly come up with enough reasons to harass and intimidate protestors, i.e., OCCUPY, so why not these two almost killers.
Many thanks to the Park Ranger and his training. And Hercules, thank you for your service.
They should have left the traps up and see if the two young men could get through them.
Charges should be attempted murder. A 20 pound boulder with sharpened sticks tied to it dropping from a 15 foot height would kill anyone, so how could they charge these dirtbags with less? Seriously, look how long those sticks are they could go completely through someone, especially a child or a thin person. What would make someone want to do something like this to someone they don't even know?
If these two idiots can only be charged with a misdemeanor then I hope the Judge sentences them to community service. Two years of walking in front of our troops in Afganastan with a stick looking for boobytraps would give them a new appreciation of what they did and would be poetic justice.
OR send em to the big house for a year and have Bubba give them his booby trap.
I'd go with them being really stupid. 2 more morons who rat themselves out on Facebook, lol.
Sounds like two degenerates who heard too many Viet Nam war stories about about pungie pits and booby traps. The little bastards should be made to do a couple thousand hours of community service work for Viet Nam vets that were recipients of some of those war devices...
I wouldnt be surprised if a connection to some kind of animal rights group is discovered.. They might have wanted to punish hikers for being in the animals habitat. Its extremely fortunate that a ranger was the first one to stumble on it..
Some people are just evil .....
I find that pretty far fetched - because for
1) THEY were in the animal's habitat and seem familiar with the woods enough to make a shelter and booby traps.
2) Their excuse is that they were trying to trap animals
3) Who would want to kill hippy hikers more? Other hippies? Don't think so....
SMH - You might want to check Facebook interests before saying stuff like that.
Can't do that here, what are they?
Maybe it was intended for a Ranger, there have been a couple killed in Utah in the last 4 or 5 years by other nutcases.
Let me guess - the long-haired nutjob with stretched earlobes is the Charlie-Manson-type leader and young Smiley McMoron is the dopey follower. Good mug shots - they tell a big part of the story. If it goes to trial, the jury can use the unrepentant cocky smile to convict the younger idiot. And the earlobes should be a felony crime on their own. Lets examine the 'thought' process - "How could I mutilate myself to insure that I could never get a job for the rest of my life - ever?????"
Publishing their pictures will at least give the public some warning of who to BOLO for. They obviously will be wandering among us - already out on bail and only charged with misdemeanor.
Yeah, and Smiley McMoron seems to have chapped lips from the BJ's he gives his gay ear-lobing friend, that is what they do in those woodsy cabins ya know...Good practice for his time behind bars, he will be quite busy in the house.
@Shuklack - It's as simple as a search on the name and a click or two. Blaming it on a group without even a cursory glance at the individual is a bit silly. One of them is heavily into physical fitness, with no mention of animals or even a pet picture. Should we blame steroids? No. That would be a long jump over non-existent water too.
What an utterly senseless act. I say reset the traps and make these two idiots walk through them...and blindfolded so they can't see the trip wires.
I know this has nothing to do with this article but, gotta say I love your screen name LMAO
repost:
mo nig
Sounds like two degenerates who heard too many Viet Nam war stories about about pungie pits and booby traps. The little bastards should be made to do a couple thousand hours of community service work for Viet Nam vets that were recipients of some of those war devices...
Thanks, DazyJane. I rather like it, and frankly was amazed nobody else had already chosen it.
They do this sort of thing in horror movies all the time though if they are into survivalist crap they do a lot of trap type stuff too. Plenty of places for them to get ideas.....but to actually do it?
I wonder - who raised these guys?
Naturally, the two morons get tracked down because they posted about their traps on facebook.
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Facebook is like fly paper for idiots who have done things they would otherwise get away with.... I swear....
They should make every criminal get a facebook account and issue them a computer as part of their parole - and just sit back and monitor as they spill all the details about whatever crimes they have done or will do.
Idiots on facebook? Isn't that a redundancy?
They like Medieval? Let's send them to Iran with a request they be given 1,000 lashes. And Iran can keep them too when they're done.
A misdemeanor?!? These guys should be charged for attempted murder.
Amen. You said exactly what I was going to say.
And maybe conspiracy to commit murder.
I agree CLS, attempted murder (and conspiracy to commit murder) is more like it.
Ugh. White trash.
That's an insult to white trash.
Pure evil.
All the States are trying to get rid of the death penalty. The reason is what???? This is what you get after the last 40 years of drug and alcohol abuse. People should be forced to take a genetic profile test before they are allowed to procreate.
castration would be better if they are politicians, that way we can be sure politicians will stop the perpetual in-breeding; but this is far from the subject at issue.
Forty years of alcohol and drug abuse? REALLY! Read the story next time, these idiots are 19 and 21 years old.
starbuck - What do you think made their parents so bad at procreating and nurturing?
Hey Starbuck...No reading comprehension.
Thanks Mailman8.
Banker: D'you think you'd be here?
Absolutely. My Parents were Saints. As for you......
Just curious how is this even related to the crime above? If I read the story right this was only about to idiots with a really bad idea for fun.
Let me give you a little comprehension synopsis WHITEJUDGE....You see the last 40 years or so the GPA in this Country has been dropping like a rock. Now take a time machine back and watch the carrying ons of all the parents of todays youth. I'll just bet their was a lot of coke, weed, alcohol, gluesniffing, magical mushrooms in the generations. Hence these folks all procreated and things are getting worse and worse. I could make so many different examples, I probably would take up way too much of your time. The gene pool is getting weaker and weaker. Just ask any of the Fortune 500 CEO's how hard it is to find anyone schooled in engineering, sciences, math, mechanics, computer programmers. You see, its all catching up. Bill Gates a few years back tried telling that to Congress, but he couldn't wake them up. Good luck, and watch out for one of those Texting and driving teens coming your way real soon. Parents today are clueless.
You are assuming to much, there's nothing in the article about the parents.
Starbuck...I am not surprised at your response. My article sums it up....entirely.
Well the clueless part is true for me but I'm not very old so what do I care what caused a few crimes in the past? Oh and if you're wishing that I die with the whole texting and driving thing. Well if I ever do get in a crash by walking to the store or taking a work related or pleasure trip I'll know who to drag down with me into hell.
Its all about reading comprehension and why some folks just shouldn't post articles on the Internet....Its not for everyone.
Exactly how do you figure? Some people get their laughs from reading some of the crap on here if you were actually to pay attention. Hell when I post on something the first time I'm dead serious on what I say. Anything else on the same article and I'm just bull@!$%#ting with others. Example me and you banker.
Ha, all this from "The Banker". If you are indeed a banker, look in the mirror for the real reason behind the decline of this country before you go blaming anyone. Bankers have done more damage to the world than all the narcotics combined could ever do, but I guess money and greed are your drugs of choice buddy.
Hey Ed...I'm not a Banker Eddy, I own food franchises. Names that you see everynight in commercials. This is a pretend place Eddy...Nobody here is real. Most of the posts are contrived, unrealistic, and BS of the highest order. If we all had to use our real names, and its coming to that soon, we probably would take up painting.
Why are merely charged with a misdemeanor offense? For an act such as this one, jail time should be mandatory.
Booby-trapping a hiking trail in that fashion amounts to attempted murder or at least attempted assault.
dman-353357- Dead on! Yet another police dept. missed the obvious.
Police Agencies seldom choose (or even file) charges - the cops turn over the facts of the case, and prosecutors (D.A.s or whatever) decide if/what/when on the criminal charges.
No, the police DO choose and file charges. We can recite many of the more common ones, but in cases like this we pore over the code books (law codes which the politicians ultimately wrote) trying to find exactly what code fits the actions. You people who gripe about "cops missed the obvious" or "this is the best the cops could do?" don't have a clue.
Why don't you do this easy exercise: look up the "Revised Code of Utah [or your state name]" and read the codes for assault, murder, or whatever crime you complain about. There is VERY SPECIFIC wording which must fit the actions of the suspects.
Then, if we've tried to squeeze a suspect into a specific crime without following every letter of that specific code, that's when the prosecutor's office will revise the charges.
Lora - I'm curious. Based upon your experience, what is the worst charge with which the legal authorities could charge these two men?
I'm not throwing [figurative] stones at anybody. Maybe the actions of these two ass-clowns do not constitute attempted murder, but morally, their actions certainly seem to constitute more than a misdemeanor offense. Heck, I think a person could face as serious a charge for dumping his garbage alongside a public road.
Based on what the necessary punishments for attempted murder and conspiracy together would be up to 4 to 10 years in jail if I did that right. Never been good with deducing what a crimes punishment is ever since Casey Anthony got away with murder though.
What has happened to our youths empathy?
I wonder if the over-abundance of violent video games has anything to do with this. Kids, starting as young as 5 or 6, can sit in front of their monitor and offhandedly kill and mutilate hundreds or thousands of people, destroy cities and even plantets, with absolutely no consequences.
I get so tired of hearing the video game excuse. There are a select few "gamers" who are not mentally stable enough to understand the difference between games and realities, but for the 99.9% of us other gamers out there, we all know this is complete and utter B.S.
I was raised by parents who taught me right and wrong. Maybe that's where the fault lies? Not an electronic stimulation system meant for enjoyment.
Sharpe** you may have turned out the same way if video games were around when you were a kid. Todays kids are either druged to kill their energy or strapped with video games to get them out of the way. Hell, after reading many of the post at this site, it appears that 1/2 these people couldn't teach there kids right from wrong. They don't have clue themselves.
I agree that the excuse is weak, but Dr. Phil will make issue of it and some liberal politician will try to ban them.
However, look at all the injuries and deaths that were attributed to "Jackass". Youth are easily amused.
Video Games were around when I was a kid o.o I'm not quite that old yet thanks :P
I grew up in the era of Wolfenstein, Doom, Duke Nukem and have owned and still own almost every system in existence. I breathed video games as my childhood escape from reality growing up in a drug ridden, abusive, and violent home constantly running from the law (my parents, not me mind you), thrown in and out of foster homes and with family. I should be completely off my rocker by all accounts.
Video games for me was my escape. It helped form my creativity in writing and my hobbies. It pushed me into I.T. when I wanted to be a console maker (granted in the real world I'm merely a government I.T. person, but still very fulfilling in my mind). Granted again, not every one is the same but games get the bad rap every time there is a violence in school story. There have been studies to show that gaming does not affect the mindset of most children.
Then again, there are studies to show something about everything. My point being, video games should not be the default point of entry for violent thoughts. There are plenty of other entry points for those mindsets and most involve home life. I lucked out, my father died and my mother walked out leaving me to finish my late teens with grandparents who still parented. They beat the crap (not literally but every one who was raised knows what beat the crap means) out of my brothers and me when we did something wrong and you could bet your money we didn't do it again. We had things taken away, we were punished. We were parented.
My opinion is that most violence derives from home life and that's just from my own personal experience. But what do I know...I'm still a youngin raised on video games and T.V. :P
50 years ago they were saying the same thing about violent Saturday morning cartoons. How did you turn out watching them? How many times did you emulate Wiley Coyote taking a high dive off the cliff face?
Televison/video game violence DOES create violence in the minds of players. Every single Surgeon General over the past 40 years, except one, has warned of that. As did Walt Disney. Seriously.
That doesn't mean that every person who watches violence will commit violence, but it is something to be aware of.
I played video games when I was a kid. Hell I still do and yet you don't see me or anyone else preforming the activities preformed in Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Mass Effect or any other game because "It starts a violence in my child." or and this is my favorite "Those video games are the work of the devil corrupting our children to commit crimes." I've got to love my landlord.
I used play games as a kid, but then again pong wasn't really violent.=P
20 years ago it was roleplaying games that were destroying our youth, before that it was the devils' rock and roll.....seriously people
What's up with that guy's ears?
He had this big ugly plugs. That's what it looks like when they make you take them out.
When he gets to prison and becomes someones punk, they will refer to them as Pistol Grips.
Maybe by the time he gets out his ear lobes will be down to his knees...
The problem with his earlobes are metal rings that look painful. Their freaky as hell to but reason I know this is because i met someone with the same freaky stretched out ears because of those stupid things.
Lack of good parenting :)
The world would be a MUCH better place if we could do away with all Religion. Anyone know their affiliation that would cause them to act in such a manner?
way to be a troll
No troll, just food for thought.
What the heck does religion have to do with these two corn dogs?
there is no food for thought here. You made an ignorant post to rile up readers. That's a troll post. If this is food for thought, maybe you should further make discussion from it. Explain why religion did this. When you ask what religion, it shows that you are just trolling for troll sake. There is nothing noting religion in the story as motive. There is nothing religious in nature in the devices or method. It was pure stupidity and lack of respect for other people at their own enjoyment. How bout parents that didn't properly raise there kids or teach them right from wrong? How 'bout just mischief makers. Why jump straight to religion? Because you want to make it about religion when it's not. Grow up
And there, I fed the troll
Absolutely nothing. Kinda my point. Religion isn't always the reason people do weird stuff and wondering what possessed and motivated these 2 to hate people or, maybe in this case, love death this much.
That's completely opposite of what you posted then because according to you
While that statement alone is an opinion and nothing wrong with it, that statement has nothing to do with the posted article so I don't see how you can come back and say the below:
And not mean it in reference to the article without using religion as some form of blame or trolling when it is not clearly present in the text of the article.
Either way, I'm done with it so it doesn't really matter
Sharpe.... "It was pure stupidity and lack of respect for other people at their own enjoyment. "
I was being facetious with the first statement by thinking how people always blame religion for such evil in the world, is all.
I apologize. My intent was not to disrespect other people. (most especially when they are "enjoying themselves" )
Actually, Sharpe, you fed the troll when you 1st mentioned Right from Wrong. You know that a large number of people that post here are atheist and have no basis for right or wrong. They will attack religion at every opportunity.
if ursheeple was being sarcastic though, a /sarcasm helps to avoid any confusion when typing up your posts, just saying ;P
I am thinking <> yee-haawdistzz, true Islamistz/terrorist styled, Shareeeeeaah Low-Life-Law, ... religion.
Don't be discouraged ursheeple. Not all atheists eat babies for breakfast. Though, as far as these two idiots are concerned, I hope authorities nip it in the bud because they look like serial killers in the making! I hope we don't see these two on the news again in a few years.
Paul, that's a common fallacy. Just because you do not believe that God (Allah, or whatever) tells you what is right and what is wrong, does NOT mean that you have no "basis" for what is right and what is wrong. The Bible does not tell you everything that is right or wrong, and many things that were considered wrong are now considered normal, such as eating pork. Atheists are *just* as capable of knowing right from wrong as any religious person. And religious people (whether that's a once-a-week Catholic, a southern Evangelist, or a Muslim fanatic) are just as capable of doing wrong, regardless of what their holy book(s) tell them.
By the way, I'm not attacking religion... just pointing out a common misconception (often repeated by priests and pastors) about atheists.
They'll just go on a "mission", and it'll be dropped.
Now thats funny.
Check out the ears on long hair. Is their something wrong here? Well obviously they are freaks who watch to many of these new movies about teens who stumble into a bayou full of in-bred morons bent on hunting them for food....
Blame the networks for the crap they put out, and the government for allowing tons of blood and death on t.v.
HAve we become a society bent on killing?
The more I see morons get caught doing stupid things because of Facebook comments, the more I like it.
Do not care for the mindset or the why of the two twits (those ears are spooky) just slap them with a federal attempted murder charge and ship them to Leavenworth - federal land and the terrorist activities of these two should make this a no brain-er for the feds.
Then they can send them on a one way trip to lovely Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Or wherever they send terrorists nowadays.
How fortunate that no one was injured or killed by this senseless act. As with other posters, I believe the culprits should be charged with attempted murder. Did you see the SIZE of those stakes they spent hours on, to maim or kill an innocent hiker?? Horrible. As it is now spring, this makes me fear that there will be copycats. A charge of attempted manslaughter should be the least they are charged with.
Hey lark, ... you really need to stopppp that!!! Common sense izz NOTTTTTTTTTT allowed in either DC or UTAH!!! <> FYI !
Setting up a shelter on public hiking trails (wilderness) with all entrances having a booby trap to cause blood loss and pain is murder and a terrorist act? The FBI should be called in to investigate the scene of crime.
They need to be punished in a way that makes them an example of what other people will suffer if they act in kind. Regular hikers in the area need to file a lawsuit against the boys and their parents (mental anguish), wipe the smile off their faces.
Not boys - men. Since they are over 18, it would be a stretch to show liability of parents (although they are certainly guilty of being very poor parents.) At least naming the parents in a civil suit would drag them into court and run up some legal fees, hold them up to public ridicule and scorn, etc.
Just their smirks tell me they will one day hurt somebody.
Some people do not belong on this planet.
throw their asses in jail and leave them there for 50 years
Haven't you heard? We are the "incarceration nation". We have a high percentage of our young men in jail already! Guess what - if 86% of our young men were doing things like this, then the correct percentage of incarcerated young men would be 86%.