Concerned citizens can rest easier as the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI say they found no indication that the man involved in a strange and disturbing incident in Neola last Saturday was planning any violent attacks. Public fear of a terrorism threat had spread in the aftermath of
Saturday’s
incident. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old Ahmed Ouassou was reported to be acting erratically outside his car, yelling at the nearby residents, and chanting religious, racial and anti-American views. The vehicle he was driving had phrases written on it reflecting those views. “It is unknown why the suspect had stopped in Neola,” shares the Sheriff’s Office, “but there were indications that he had simply lost his direction while traveling back from the California area where he had been visiting.” Ouassou had driven away before responding officer Cpl. Jared Harrison arrived. Cpl. Harrison located Ouassou and his car at around
11:30am
at the mouth of Uintah Canyon where it appeared to have run off the south side of the road. The airbag was deployed and the vehicle was still running with Ouassou sitting inside when Cpl. Harrison approached. Marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found inside the car. No weapons or suspicious materials were found either in the vehicle or on Ouassou. Ouassou was arrested and booked into the Duchesne County Jail on charges of DUI, possession of Marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
