UnitedHealthcare cyclist resigns after shooting whilst riding

Danny Summerhill has resigned from UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team after being summoned to court to answer charges relating to firing a gun whilst riding in Colorado on Monday.

Summerhill is facing charges related to the illegal discharge of a firearm Source: Twitter

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team issued a statement in response to the news of Summerhill's alleged indiscretions, with the rider resigning from the team.

"Momentum Sports Group holds our athletes to the highest standards of ethical conduct and accountability – both on and off the road. Following an internal investigation, we accepted Mr. Summerhill’s resignation from the team, effective immediately. The personal actions of one individual do not represent the values of our dedicated athletes, sponsors or fans, and we offer our sincerest apologies to anyone who may have been impacted." 

A deputy who issued Daniel Summerhill, 28, a summons, found at least three spent rounds each about 50 yards apart, after responding to a report of shots fired.

Contacted on Tuesday morning by local media, Summerhill said he wasn’t guilty, but didn’t elaborate. He was arraigned Tuesday in Jefferson County Court and pleaded not guilty to reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct, said the Jefferson County District Attorney’s spokeswoman.

A witness reported he “had been able to see a handgun in one of the pouches on the back of the male’s jersey … The male initially denied shooting, but then admitted that he had a bad day and need to vent, so he decided to shoot,” the police report said.

Another local, who was on the road checking her mail box when shots were fired, told the deputy that she returned from work at 3:20 p.m. and heard three “loud pops.”

She saw a cyclist riding down South Deer Creek. He fired two more rounds into a hillside as he rode, she said.

“The area that she indicated that he had shot at was a hillside between two driveways, with a freestanding garage and a vehicle parked in front of it … there were residences on both sides of the road there as well as one above the hillside where the male had shot.”

Along the four kilometre stretch of Deer Creek, there are about 60 homes, and in the immediate area where shots were fired there are at least six homes. Everybody has propane tanks outside the houses.

Summerhill is best known for riding on the US domestic scene and he was in good form recently, taking out a win in the Tour of Japan prologue.