Who is Shawn Chock? Truck driver who rammed cyclists at Arizona race and injured 7 arrested
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: The man accused of plowing his pickup truck into a group of bicyclists taking part in a weekend race in an Arizona mountain town, critically wounding several riders, was identified by authorities on Monday, June 21. Court records have revealed that the accused has a criminal record of intoxicated driving.
On Saturday, May 19, Shawn Michael Chock, 35, fled the crash in Show Low, which is about a three-hour drive northeast of Phoenix and was shot by the police as they followed him, said Kristine Sleighter, a police spokeswoman. Chock, who lives in nearby White Mountain Lakes, is still in the hospital and in stable condition. The authorities have not confirmed a motive for the crash. Prosecutors have been working with police investigators but Navajo County Attorney Bradley Carlyon stated that his office typically does not charge hospitalized suspects until they are released.
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On Saturday, May 19, the day when Chock ran over the cyclists, we reported another similar incident in Florida, where a driver plowed into a Pride parade taking place at Stonewall, killing one. Last year, we reported an incident where five cyclists were killed and four were injured after a truck smashed into a group taking a 'retirement ride' on a Nevada highway. In 2019, we reported how Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, who had past records of drunk driving killed 7 motorcyclists.
Chock is accused of rushing his truck into bicyclists gathered just around 7.30 am for the annual 58-mile state championship road race, Bike the Bluff. Witnesses described seeing the bodies of cyclists flying left and right. Tony Quinones, a cyclist who witnessed the crash, said some riders wondered if the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. But Quinones saw the man speed toward the cyclists. “He went right at us,” Quinones said. Seven cyclists were rushed to hospitals, and six were listed in critical condition. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident involving our riders,” race organizers said on their website. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected”
After crashing into the bicyclists, Chock hit a telephone pole, and cyclists ran up to the truck and started beating on the windows, yelling at the driver to get out, witnesses say.
Quinones said the driver hit the accelerator and backed out, drove down the road, made a U-turn and then headed back toward the cyclists but did not hit them again and drove away. Chock was later shot by police outside a nearby hardware store.
According to a June 2020 Facebook post, Chock wrote of being a few weeks away from being 30 months sober and feeling “on top of the world.” “Only god can take me out,” Chock wrote. “Man I love sober living.”
Online court records in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, revealed Chock has a history of arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and assault. In 2007, he was charged with aggravated assault. Several months later, he was indicted with disruptive conduct with a weapon and pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. In 2010, three DUI-related charges, including having a third DUI, were dismissed as part of an agreement where Chock pleaded guilty to felony aggravated DUI and shoplifting. He also pleaded no contest to aggravated assault. His records also revealed that in 2012 Chock was on probation but he infringed the conditions of it in May 2013. According to court paperwork, Chock denied a chance at extending probation and demanded prison time. He was convicted for two years and eight months but got more than 280 days credit for time served before sentencing. Online Arizona Department of Corrections records shows he went to prison in May 2013 but was released in October 2014.