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SALT LAKE CITY — A West Valley man is facing a felony DUI count after police say he crashed his truck into a house and pinned a 10-year-old boy under his vehicle while driving intoxicated.
Charles Merrill Lavadie, 58, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with DUI causing serious injury, a second-degree felony; and reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor.
On July 3, Lavadie was driving a 2015 Chevy Silverado that went off the road and into a house near 3245 S. 300 East, according to charging documents. A 10-year-old boy who was inside the house became trapped under his vehicle, the charges state.
When police arrived, Lavadie started his truck again, but officers ordered him to shut it off and a witness in the house grabbed the keys out of the ignition, according to charging documents. They then heard the boy crying under the truck.
A heavy rescue team was called and needed about 20 minutes to free the boy, according to police. The boy was taken to Primary Children’s Medical Center in critical condition with a skull fracture, bleeding in the brain, a broken femur and a large cut on the side of his face, charging documents state.
Lavadie claimed he had taken a Lortab pill earlier in the day and had passed out while driving, the charges state.
Police did a check of Lavadie’s blood and found hydrocodone and hydromorphone in his system. In his vehicle, they found a prescription bottle for hydrocodone with a 2016 date on the label, the charges state, as well as a bottle for another prescription that causes dizziness.
Investigators estimated Lavadie was traveling 39 to 47 mph on the 30 mph road before the crash, according to the charges.
A $50,000 warrant was issued Thursday for Lavadie’s arrest.
