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WEST VALLEY CITY — A man with a history of driving while intoxicated was arrested Wednesday for allegedly causing a crash that killed a West Valley woman.
Jair Ivan Bautista, 28, of Kearns, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of automobile homicide, driving on a suspended license, being an alcohol-restricted driver, and failing to remain at the scene of a crash involving death.
West Valley police responded just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to the intersection of 3600 West and Parkway Boulevard (2700 South) on a report of a multivehicle crash. Carole Galentine, 26, of West Valley City, was found deceased in her car.
Officers also noticed the driver of a Toyota Tundra was not standing near his vehicle, according to a police booking affidavit.
Witnesses told investigators that the driver of the Tundra ran a red light at the intersection and hit another car. Another driver told police that Bautista, who was standing about 50 yards away from the Tundra, had approached him after the crash asking for a ride away from the scene, "telling the witness that he needed to leave," the affidavit states.
When questioned by officers, Bautista claimed he saw the driver of the Tundra run away after the crash, according to police.
"Bautista became angry with the officers and would not follow their orders as he appeared to be trying to leave the scene. Officers used physical force to detain him and observed the strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from (his) breath while in the process of placing him in handcuffs," the affidavit says.
Police said they found a bottle of suspected alcohol under the driver's seat in the Tundra.
According to court records, Bautista was convicted of DUI in 2011 and charged with DUI again in 2018. He pleaded guilty to driving on a suspended license in September.
