ROCK SPRINGS – An alleged road rage incident earlier this year resulted in a Rock Springs man being held on a $75,000 cash or surety bond at the Sweetwater County Detention Center.
Joseph Scott Basse Roark, 29, is charged with felony aggravated assault and battery – attempting to cause serious bodily injury. The detention center’s roster also lists Basse Roark facing unrelated charges of felony theft, felony property destruction, and misdemeanor property destruction. Basse Roark awaits arraignment in district court. The aggravated assault felony carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Court documents state Rock Springs Police Department Detective Matt Jones was assigned to follow up with an incident that occurred in the Smith’s Food and Drug parking lot Sept. 2. The initial report from RSPD Officer Noah Burchett stated that he received a call for service at the Smith’s parking lot, where he noticed a crowd forming around a teal Mazda truck. The truck was damaged on its passenger side and a bumper from a different vehicle was on the ground next to the truck. The dents were large, with scrapes reportedly extending to the truck’s wheel well. Broken plastic from a blue vehicle, tire marks, and leaked fluid were also nearby.
According to the truck’s owner, he was driving eastbound on Interstate 80 when he watched a blue Honda try to run an RV off of the road. He began recording the incident on his phone and was able to capture the temporary registration and a portion of the driver. He said the Honda’s driver noticed he was being recorded, then suddenly slowed and merged behind the Mazda. The Honda followed the Mazda to the grocery store’s parking lot.
The Mazda parked near the store’s liquor entrance while the Honda parked near a white SUV. The Mazda’s driver moved the vehicle to another spot when the Honda allegedly rammed into the Mazda, spun it around, drove up the side of the vehicle, then drove off. Damage to the truck was estimated to be approximately $2,000. The Honda was identified as a 2005 Honda Civic with temporary Colorado registration that expired Oct. 1, 2024.
On Sept. 4, Burchett heard about a fire near Mile Marker 3 on Wyoming Highway 430. Burchett visited the fire scene to investigate the vehicle. The vehicle identification number on the vehicle’s firewall matched with the Honda involved in the incident at Smith’s. A Bureau of Land Management officer told Burchett the fire started on private property, but had spread to BLM land.
Basse Roark was identified by reviewing cell phone images and comparing facial tattoos seen on the Honda driver’s face. On Dec. 10, Jones discovered there was a passenger in the Honda during the incident at Smith’s and interviewed the person. They alleged that Basse Roark became angry after being cut off by another vehicle on the interstate. A second driver then drove next to Basse Roark and started recording him, with Basse Roark opting to follow that person to the Smith’s parking lot. He allegedly made statements such as “I’m going to get him,” after pulling the Honda into a parking stall. When the Mazda drove in front of Basse Roark, he allegedly drove the Honda into the truck, then left the parking lot.
The passenger told Jones they thought Basse Roark drove into the truck intentionally and said they tried to calm Basse Roark throughout the incident, but he wouldn’t stop. The passenger also said they weren’t aware of the Honda being burned after the incident and said the vehicle’s owner only lent it to Basse Roark for a short time.
