Sandy police continue to search for the suspect who shot and killed a UVSC hockey coach outside the Village Inn restaurant in Sandy on Thursday morning.
Police found Kenneth G. Dolezsar, 50, of Springville, dead after responding to a call at 150 West and 10600 South around 7 a.m.
"A very sad day has descended on Wolverine hockey," said friends and teammates in a statement on the Utah Valley State College hockey team Web site.
Dolezsar was a former hockey coach for the BYU Icecats in the 2004 to 2005 season and creator and coach of the UVSC hockey team since spring 2005.
An eyewitness saw the shooting incident from about six to seven feet away in a vehicle, police said.
Dolezsar and the suspect were engaged in a discussion when Dolezsar put his arms up to his side in a gesture, saying, "I don't want an issue with you," and began backing away from the suspect, Sandy Police spokesman Sgt. Victor Quezada said. The suspect then pulled out a handgun, shot Doleszar several times and fled the scene in the victim's white Lincoln Navigator.
Police located the Navigator a few hours later, abandoned about a mile away from the restaurant near the Lake Hill Cemetery at 10150 S. State St. Police retrieved evidence from the vehicle
Another witness saw a man matching the suspect's description fleeing from the Navigator, police said.
The suspect is described as a white male, between 40 and 45 years old, weighing about 220 to 230 pounds. He has a "very long face," and a long ponytail extending about five inches from his shoulder. The suspect's hair is dark brown or black. He was last seen wearing a light brown suede jacket, Quezada said.
The Sandy police encourage those with any information regarding the crime to come forward, no matter how trivial the information may seem, Quezada said. Anyone with information can reach the Sandy police tipline at (801) 568-4636.
Matt Beaudry, the Wolverine's head coach, co-founder of the hockey team and Dolezsar's friend, described Dolezsar as a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who attended the temple every Saturday.
Dolezsar, who worked in real estate, was wealthy and gave freely and generously, Beaudry said. He helped fund many missions and also gave to BYU and UVSC's hockey programs.
Beaudry also noted Dolezsar's friendliness, exuberance, energy and positive attitude.
"He taught me to always be positive in life and to never waste your time on worrying about the negative," Beaudry said. "He had a lot of trials in his life, and I think he kind of developed that attitude through his experiences with adversity."
Lee Johnson, 22, a current hockey player for the Icecats, played under the coaching of Doleszar for three years. Johnson met Doleszar at 19, and became his friend and business partner. Johnson, a convert to the church, said Doleszar and his family were there for him when he was baptized.
Johnson now owns and operates his own real estate company thanks, he said, to the support of Doleszar.
"He's a guy who understood life, who understood people, and he wasn't afraid to take a chance on people, especially a 19-year-old kid," Johnson said.
Johnson said as a coach, Doleszar was someone who didn't say too much, but brought enthusiasm to the team.
"When he talked, we listened, and we went out there and played our hearts out," Johnson said. "Everyone looked up to him, and we kind of wanted to play for him."
The UVSC Wolverine hockey team played their Friday and Saturday games in Doleszar's honor. A moment of silence was observed before Friday's game against the University of Utah.
Doleszar leaves behind wife Leslie DeeAnn Mower, brother, Rob, and two children, Dana and Kurtis, from a former marriage.
Copyright Brigham Young University 19 Nov 2007
