The couple that was shot in the back by the Ute Fish and Wildlife Officer in Uinta Canyon in 2022 has spoken publicly for the first time following the sentencing of the officer, Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach. Yesterday, KUTV shared the interview with Chad and Chelsea Young, the now married couple that was out for a ride on a side-by-side on their first date on July 17th, 2022. Chad said when Cornpeach pulled them over he reached for his identification and Cornpeach pointed her gun at his head. Chelsea said he pushed the gun away while telling her to start the side-by-side and they took off. Cornpeach fired several shots and both were hit. “I turned around,” said Chad, “and she had a gun drawn on me still, and I got out of the side-by-side, and she was ordering commands at me, and I basically just collapsed in the road right there. I don’t really remember a whole lot after that…I was losing a lot of blood,” Chad continued. “I mean, I basically died in the helicopter twice, and they brought me back to life.” When asked why they thought Cornpeach fired her gun, Chelsea said, “I think she was mad because she wasn’t able to seize our side-by-side. She felt like she had more power than she actually did, and she was going to use it.” Both Chad and Chelsea were hospitalized for critical injuries and have lasting nerve damage. They married in 2024. Cornpeach pled guilty to felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release after serving prison time.
