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SALT LAKE CITY — Originally charged with murder, a woman has taken a plea deal after police say she and two others ran over and killed a man trying to retrieve a stolen trailer from them.
Jeanette Teddie Miner, 27, pleaded guilty Wednesday to manslaughter, a second-degree felony, in the death of 49-year-old Eric Carter in December. In exchange for her guilty plea, charges of robbery and burglary, both first-degree felonies, and obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, were dismissed.
Jay Richard Urry, 41, of Taylorsville, and Jesse Floyd Searle, 34, of West Valley City, are scheduled for a preliminary hearing July 20. They are facing first-degree felony charges of murder, robbery and burglary, as well as a second-degree felony charge for obstructing justice.
Carter was trying to retrieve an allegedly stolen trailer when he died.
According to police, Miner was driving her pickup pulling the trailer when Carter climbed into the truck bed. That's when charging documents say Searle pushed Carter out of the truck.
"(Miner) then accelerated to leave the area, accidentally striking Mr. Carter with the trailer, resulting in his death," Miner's plea agreement states.
Before he died, Carter called 911 and gave emergency dispatchers the license plate number of the truck, which was registered to Miner, police said.
Miner admitted Wednesday that, after running over Carter, she and at least one of the men took the trailer to another location and abandoned it. She then abandoned the truck in a different spot, calling police to report it had been stolen, according to the plea.
Urry and Searle had borrowed Miner's truck earlier in the day and had allegedly stolen the trailer and several other items from Carter's residence. They returned later with Miner to steal more items, according to the charges.
Carter arrived at his house before the trio left and attempted to get the trailer back, which he had borrowed from a friend.
Sentencing is scheduled for Miner on July 18.
