Utah Highway Patrol looking at drug impairment in fatal crash

Utah Highway Patrol looking at drug impairment in fatal crash

(Utah Highway Patrol)


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SALT LAKE CITY — The driver of a car that crashed on I-15 during the Independence Day weekend, killing his passenger, is being investigated for a possible charge of automobile homicide, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

On July 5, a 2002 Nissan Sentra headed north on I-15 near Sunset went off the road onto the shoulder for an unknown reason and struck a concrete barrier, the UHP stated. The Nissan bounced back onto the road, crossing several lanes, and was struck on the passenger side by a 2007 Chevy Silverado.

Erica Garcia, 35, of Ogden, was taken to McKay Dee Hospital were she later died from her injuries.

As emergency crews were attending to the two people in the Nissan, a small bag of meth was found, as well as a second ziplock back with cocaine inside, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 2nd District Court.

Related:

"The driver of the Nissan was admitted to Ogden Regional Hospital and while there at the hospital a white glass pipe with a bulb at the end was found on his person," the warrant states.

Investigators suspect drug impairment played a role in the crash. As of Monday, the driver had not been arrested pending test results from the State Crime Lab.

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Pat Reavy, KSLPat Reavy
Pat Reavy interned with KSL in 1989 and has been a full-time journalist for either KSL or Deseret News since 1991. For the past 25 years, he has worked primarily the cops and courts beat.
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