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MIDVALE — The driver in a wild crash last month in Midvale that critically injured two people, including himself, had taken drugs the night before and had bottles of liquor in his vehicle at the time of the crash, according to court documents.
A Honda Civic smashed into a Mercedes attempting to make a left turn at 8000 S. State about 1:15 p.m. on March 10. The impact from the crash caused the Civic to go airborne and roll while in the air, ejecting the driver, according to police. When it landed, the front end of the vehicle caught fire.
"Several witnesses stated the Honda Civic was traveling about 90 to 100 mph and 'weaving in and out of traffic,'" according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 3rd District Court.
The ejected driver was unconscious, but witnesses who tried to help him reported that he "had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath," the affidavit states.
"There were two vodka bottles in close proximity to the Honda Civic. One of the bottles was empty and the other was partially consumed," the investigating officer noted.
The 22-year-old man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The 72-year-old Mercedes driver was also hospitalized in critical condition and was later upgraded to serious. Unified police said both men remained hospitalized Wednesday.
Police later interviewed the Civic driver's girlfriend who said the couple went to a "rave" the night before and "had a pint of vodka, a capsule of (ecstasy) each, and they each had an alcoholic drink at the venue," according to the affidavit.
As of Wednesday, the Honda driver had not been arrested or charged pending toxicology test results.
