Cedar City, Utah

From Salt Lake City’s Deseret News of July 27, 2006

Deadly shooting in RV probed

Police say man forced way into motor home

Police are investigating a deadly shooting inside an RV parked outside a Wal-Mart store in Cedar City.

Police said about 9:47 p.m. Tuesday, a man had knocked on the door of an RV that was parked overnight in the store parking lot. A family of four from Cane Coral, Fla., was inside.

Investigators said the man forced his way into the motor home.

"The tourists inside were in fear for their life," Sgt. Jerry Womack told the Deseret Morning News on Wednesday. "There was a scuffle inside the motor home and the man shot (the intruder) in the head with a shotgun."

On Wednesday, detectives were questioning the family, who had been traveling through the area and stopped for the night.

Womack said detectives were looking into whether alcohol was involved in the confrontation.

"We believe he (the shooting victim) might have been intoxicated," he said. An autopsy was being performed on Wednesday.

Police identified the dead man as Steven Stubbs, 26, of Cedar City.

Stubbs has been convicted of speeding, alcohol violations and interfering with a police arrest, according to records in Cedar City's 5th District Court.

The Cedar City Police Department said Wednesday it was investigating if the use of deadly force is justified. The Iron County Attorney is expected to make a final determination.

From the St. George Spectrum of September 13, 2006

No charges filed in shooting case

Iron County Attorney Scott Garrett decided Tuesday to not file charges in a July 25 shooting that occurred in a Wal-Mart parking lot leaving a 26-year-old Cedar City man dead.

After reviewing the case, Garrett determined the force used in the incident was justifiable, and that Carl Coltellino acted in self-defense.

"We just looked at the facts in the case and what the law requires," he said.

The decision comes seven weeks after Steven Stubbs was shot in the head with a shotgun outside the Coltellino's motor home.

The Coltellino family - Carl, Tracy and their two young girls - was traveling through Cedar City on vacation from Florida and decided to spend the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

"It's a tragic case," Garrett said. "I feel bad for all the people involved."

Stubbs allegedly knocked on the door of the motor home, and, after entering it, wouldn't leave.

"He wanted to go south," said the Florida mom, Tracy Coltellino, at the time of the incident.

But the Coltellinos tried to make Stubbs leave by shouting and shoving him, she said.

And, after the 26-year-old Cedar City resident wouldn't leave, Carl pulled out a 12-gauge shotgun, which Stubbs allegedly tried to take from the Florida man.

"The fact that he tried to take the gun from him in his home is a pretty key factor," Garrett said.

The report that Stubbs allegedly entered the motor home without permission was another important factor in determining justifiable force.

"There was really nothing that suggested otherwise," Garrett said. "He had two daughters, and he was trying to protect him and his family as well."

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