Magna man faces murder charge in Murray fatal hit-and-run crash

MURRAY — A Magna man was charged Wednesday with hitting and killing a woman in a crosswalk in Murray in July and then driving off.

Nathan Michael Portillo, 24, is charged in 3rd District Court with murder, a first-degree felony, or in the alternative automobile homicide, a second-degree felony; four counts of obstruction of justice and leaving the scene of an accident involving death, third-degree felonies; reckless driving and making a threat of violence, class B misdemeanors; driving on a revoked license, a class C misdemeanor; and speeding and making an unsafe lane change, infractions.

Just after 11 p.m. on July 31, Kimberley Jean Jespersen, 53, was crossing 4500 South at State Street in a crosswalk when a gray Chevrolet hatchback "possibly made contact" with her, according to charging documents that note Jespersen was still standing up. Police say the driver of the hatchback stopped and talked to her.

But while the two were talking, Portillo, who was traveling east on 4500 South in a GMC Sierra pickup truck, came up on them and appeared to only see the hatchback at the last minute, according to police, narrowly missing the vehicle and hitting Jespersen. She was taken to a local hospital but "investigators were later notified that Jespersen's injuries were too extensive," and she was pronounced dead during surgery, according to charging documents.

One witness told investigators that "the truck did not attempt to stop and fled the scene heading east," the charges allege.

Surveillance video collected by police "showed Portillo tapping his brakes before proceeding east on 4500 South. Video analysis confirmed that Portillo was traveling 55.6 mph in a 40 mph zone," according to the charges.

A break in the case came on Aug. 3 when someone contacted Murray police and reported that Portillo and his girlfriend had been at a concert at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater on the night of the crash.

"The concerned citizen stated that Portillo's girlfriend told him that after the concert she and Portillo got into an argument. The concerned citizen stated that (the girlfriend) stated that Portillo blacked out and didn't remember anything about the rest of the evening. The concerned citizen confirmed that Portillo drove a dark colored pickup truck that matched the same description as the truck involved in the hit-and-run," the charges state.

That person also told police that the truck had front-end damage.

On Aug. 28, police questioned Portillo, who claimed he got a flat tire while on the freeway and hit the guardrail, according to charging documents. However, "Portillo could not provide details of where the accident occurred or what happened to the vehicle."

Detectives later located the truck, which appeared as though someone had tried to fix the front end, at a used car lot where Portillo had dropped it off days before a bank issued a repossession order, according to the charges.

Investigators said they then used cellphone data and license plate readers to place the truck at the scene of the crash.

On Sept. 29, police talked to Portillo's girlfriend, who said that he was intoxicated after leaving the concert, according to the charges.

"(She) stated that Portillo was driving erratically, speeding, swerving, braking hard and nearly rolled the truck. (She) stated she feared for their life and that Portillo repeatedly threatened to kill them both while driving," the charges allege. "(The girlfriend) stated she jumped out of the vehicle near the Memorial Mortuary on Redwood Road in Taylorsville and hid in nearby bushes as she was afraid Portillo would circle back and run her over."

The woman then told police that Portillo went to New Mexico between Aug. 9 and Aug. 13, and when he returned, "she observed that someone had attempted to fix the front-end damage," the charges say. On Aug. 26, Portillo was at her residence and "after a few drinks Portillo kept repeating that he had hit someone."

Portillo was booked into jail Oct. 7. Prosecutors have requested that he remain in the custody of the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.

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