Deadly booby traps were discovered set up along a popular Utah hiking trail this week, luckily before any unsuspecting hikers were severely maimed or killed.
One of the booby traps included a 20 lb, spiked boulder designed to swing into an unsuspecting hiker whenever they stepped on the ground trip wire. Another trap was designed to trip a hiker in to a bed of sharpened wooden stakes. Built between the two traps was a dead wood shelter designed as a lure for hikers.
Benjamin Steven Rutkowski, 19, of Orem, and Kai Matthew Christensen, 21, of Provo, were arrested under suspicion of misdemeanor reckless endangerment and released on bail. The suspects told authorities the traps were meant for wildlife and not for people.
Utah County sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon obviously does not buy into their story, stating:
“This is a shelter put together by people, visited by people _ anything that would be impacted by their device would have to be humans. 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.”
The booby traps could have been overlooked by anyone. James Schoeffler of the U.S. Forest Service, who just happens to be trained in hazardous device detection in the military, was on a routine patrol along Big Springs Trail when he noticed the trip wires. He was able to take picture and video of the site and traps before disabling the traps.
“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.”
Prosecutors believed the misdemeanor reckless endangerment allegations were the strongest claims they could pursue without anyone being injured. Charges have not yet been filed.
Take a look at the video below for more.
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