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SALT LAKE CITY -- A man accused of causing a fatal accident on Interstate 80 was charged with automobile homicide Tuesday.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office also charged John Bishop Jr. with:
- Four counts of Driving Under the Influence and Causing Serious Bodily Injury, third degree felonies
- Two counts of Driving Under the Influence and Causing Bodily Injury, Class A misdemeanors
- One count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Injury, a Class A misdemeanor
- One count of Reckless Driving, a Class B misdemeanor
- One count of Alcohol Restricted Driver, a Class B misdemeanor
Automobile homicide is a second degree felony.
Bishop was allegedly drinking the night of April 1, 2009 when he got behind the wheel of his BMW with five friends inside. Witnesses say he was driving on I-80 at more than 100 miles an hour when he rear-ended an SUV.
Six people were injured in the accident; 26-year-old Jason Palmer, who was riding in Bishop's car, was killed.
Bishop fled the scene, turning up at a hospital hours later.
If convicted of all these charges Bishop could face up to 23 years in prison.
