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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS -- Police in Cottonwood Heights have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with an Easter weekend DUI crash that killed 72-year-old Robert Howard.
Officer Beau Babka says an arrest warrant was signed Tuesday for Jeris Oberle, who's southbound SUV crossed the median at 6950 S. Wasatch Drive and hit Howard's van.
Howard was working part time as a flower delivery person. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Oberle received minor injuries and was processed for possible DUI by police. Babka says the test results showed Oberle's blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the accident. He now faces a second-degree felony automobile homicide charge as well as a misdemeanor charge of aggravated criminal negligence.
According to Bapka, Oberle has had issues with alcohol before but had not been involved in any previous DUIs. "This is the ultimate of what could happen: You could take someone's life, or multiple lives," Babka said.
The accident happened on the same weekend Utah Highway Patrol troopers arrested 76 people in a state-wide DUI crackdown.
"I don't think anybody's immune from it and that's what's unfortunate," Babka said. "At any given time on any given road, I'm sure there's somebody that's under the influence of something."
E-mail: mgiauque@ksl.com
