TOOELE, UT — Tooele City Police say a 37-year-old man crashed his Toyota Tundra into a Tesla parked in a garage and then shot his girlfriend to death late Monday on Kings Landing Road.
Investigators said the woman’s four young children were inside the house at the time and heard the attack. Neighbors said the violence left the block shaken and struggling to make sense of what happened just before midnight.
The Scene
Officers were called to the 600 block of Kings Landing Road on a report of shots fired. When they arrived, police found a white Tesla in the garage with a pickup truck pushed into its rear.
The woman was later found in the driver’s seat of the Tesla. Police also said they recovered bullet casings outside the driver’s side door, adding to what they described as a fast-moving and violent scene inside the garage.
Police Account
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Daniel Ruesga was read his Miranda rights and then spoke with investigators. Police say he admitted he intentionally drove into the Tesla and fired a handgun multiple times after an argument with the victim.
Ruesga also told officers a firearm had been left in the vehicle, according to police. Investigators have not said anything publicly about a motive beyond the dispute described in the court filing.
Family Impact
The affidavit says the victim’s four children were in the home, heard the shooting and later found their mother dead. Police tied four domestic violence counts in the presence of a child to those children and the incident they say unfolded at the house.
A neighbor, Ally Dickinson, said the death hit the area hard. She said she did not know the victim well, but the loss made her think immediately of the children and the wider family left behind.
Court History
Ruesga was booked into the Tooele County Jail on suspicion of murder, a first-degree felony, along with four counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, each a third-degree felony. Prosecutors still have a limited window to file formal charges.
Court records also show a June 17, 2025, domestic violence-related misdemeanor case involving destruction of property. That case ended after probation, an anger-management evaluation and treatment requirements were completed.
What’s Next
Police have not said whether additional charges or case updates are expected soon. The investigation remains active, and authorities have not yet answered follow-up questions about the shooting.
Neighbors said they are trying to support the victim’s family as the case moves through the courts. Questions also remain about Ruesga’s real estate license and whether any limits have been placed on it.
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