- An Orem man was arrested investigation of automobile homicide.
- Paseto Penahipa Foalima faces additional charges including assault on police.
- Foalima's blood-alcohol content was over four times Utah's legal limit, the affidavit states.
PROVO — An Orem man suspected of drinking and driving was arrested over the weekend and accused of hitting another vehicle while fleeing from police, resulting in the death of an elderly woman.
Paseto Penahipa Foalima, 38, was booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of more than a dozen charges, including automobile homicide, assault on an officer, failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, failing to stop for police, reckless driving, interfering with police, having an open container of alcohol in the car and speeding.
On Saturday, just after 3 p.m., Provo police were called to a hit-and-run crash near 500 West and 500 North. The driver of a vehicle stopped at a red light told police that a Volkswagen Passat had clipped their vehicle while the driver tried to swerve around it.
The driver of the damaged vehicle then followed the Passat for several minutes until it stopped in a church parking lot at 100 West and 700 North. When an officer arrived, Foalima was ordered to turn off his car and get out of the Passat, according to Provo police.
"During this time, the officer reported he could smell the odor of alcohol coming from Foalima's breath. The male initially complied, but later turned his car on again and started to leave. Seeing this as an attempt to flee, the officer ordered the driver to stop, opened Foalima's door, and attempted to detain him," according to a police booking affidavit.
As Foalima drove off, the officer's vest became caught in the door jamb, causing him to fall, the affidavit states.
"Foalima fled from an officer at 100 West and 700 North and proceeded toward the intersection of 400 North 100 West, where he collided with another vehicle at a high rate of speed after running a stop sign. Both vehicles were severely damaged, and an elderly victim was found to be in critical condition," according to the affidavit.
The elderly woman was taken to Utah Valley Hospital, where she died a few hours later due to her injuries, police stated. Her name has not been released.
Police located Foalima as he was running away from that crash and "with the help of a civilian who pursued Foalima on foot, officers caught up to him and ordered him to stop and to get on the ground," according to the affidavit.
An officer used a Taser on Foalima to stop him before placing him in handcuffs.
Open containers of alcohol were found in Foalima's vehicle and "based on data obtained in preliminary hospital testing, Foalima's blood-alcohol content was more than four times Utah's presumptive impairment laws of .05%," the affidavit states.
When questioned, Foalima told police "that he was drinking and driving. Foalima … stated that he had gone to the liquor store in Provo and purchased two bottles of whiskey; he estimated that he drank a total of one pint prior to the accident," according to the affidavit.
