Man Charged with Stabbing Truck Driver

One man is in the hospital and another man is in jail after a bizarre stabbing incident on Interstate 84 on Monday west of Ontario.

Oregon State Police (OSP), with the assistance of the Malheur County District Attorney’s Office, are continuing the investigation into the stabbing of a commercial truck driver Monday afternoon along Interstate 84 about 15 miles west of Ontario. The suspect is in custody and was positively identified Tuesday morning. The truck driver, who was stabbed multiple times, is being treated at a Boise-area hospital.

The incident began at approximately 12:09 p.m. when the OSP received a report of a stabbing along Interstate 84 eastbound near milepost 358. A commercial truck pulling two tanker trailers containing milk driven by Charles D. Vanzante, 63, of Jerome, Idaho, was traveling eastbound on Interstate 84 when, unprovoked, a Buick Lacrosse displaying Washington license plates driven by an adult male began ramming the truck’s diesel tanks.

Vanzante pulled the truck and trailers to the side of the road and stopped. The Buick’s driver stopped the car against the side of the truck, got out and entered the truck where he stabbed Vanzante multiple times.

The suspect fled up a hill south of the scene and then returned back to the truck where he briefly engaged in a second struggle with Vanzante. He then was surrounded by several citizens outside the truck as OSP troopers began arriving at the scene and took the suspect into custody at gunpoint.

An OSP lieutenant and trooper initiated emergency medical care on Vanzante until relieved by medical responders. Vanzante was transported by air ambulance to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. His injuries were determined to be non-life threatening. He was stabbed multiple times in the chest and stomach area. The knife was recovered.

The suspect was lodged in the Malheur County Jail. Fingerprints positively identified him as Dustin Leroy Rotter, 28, with a last known address in Modesto, California. Rotter was lodged on charges of attempted murder, first-degree assault, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and second-degree criminal mischief. Additional charges may be pending. The vehicle was confirmed stolen out of Pasco, Wash., in a reported carjacking on Aug. 24.

There was no word on what caused Rotter to attack Vanzante or if the two even knew each other.

OSP Criminal Investigations Division detectives are continuing the investigation.