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MURRAY — Police have arrested a man who they say caused a fatal crash, then ran away from the scene and even tried to change his appearance to avoid being apprehended.
Francisco Jesus Madrid, 30, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of leaving the scene of an accident involving death and obstructing justice.
About 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a car crashed into a utility pole at 5730 S. 1300 East. The driver ran from the scene, leaving his injured passenger in the vehicle, according to Murray police.
That passenger, whose name was not immediately released, was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
After police arrived on scene, witnesses told officers that the driver had gotten into a taxi. Detectives were able to find the taxi driver who told them that he dropped off Madrid at a motel in downtown Salt Lake City, according to a police affidavit.
Police went to the motel and kept surveillance on a room and said they observed a man walk out of that room and get on a TRAX train.
"The male was wearing a bandana to cover his face and had a shaved head," the affidavit states.
Police followed the train to its next stop where they detained Madrid and questioned him. Investigators noticed "fresh injuries to his face and hands consistent with being involved in a recent accident," according to the affidavit. Officers said they then determined that Madrid had shaved his face and his head while in the motel room before getting on the TRAX train.
(Investigators noticed) fresh injuries to his face and hands consistent with being involved in a recent accident.
–Police affidavit
After he was arrested, Madrid "stated he had been driving the vehicle and fell asleep at the wheel," the affidavit says.
Police noted that Madrid also had a warrant for his arrest out of Nevada at the time of the accident.
