Driver accused of causing head-on crash faces a dozen charges

PARK CITY — A Salt Lake City man accused of driving while impaired and causing a head-on crash near Park City has been charged.

Jonathan Casimiro Abarca-Rodriguez, 26, was charged Thursday in Summit County's 3rd District Court with four counts of leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury, a third-degree felony; four counts of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, a class A misdemeanor; being an alcohol restricted driver and not having an interlock device in his car, class B misdemeanors; having an open container of alcohol in his car, a class C misdemeanor; and failing to stay on the right side of the road, an infraction.

On Aug. 22, about 9:30 p.m., the Utah Highway Patrol responded to a crash on state Route 248 near Round Valley Drive.

"Abarca-Rodriguez…drove eastbound in the westbound lanes, and struck another vehicle head-on," according to charging documents.

By the time troopers arrived at the crash, Abarca-Rodriguez and a passenger had run from the scene, climbed over a fence and were found lying in a nearby field, the charges state.

"Officers observed multiple open containers of alcohol in Abarca-Rodriguez's car, and (the UHP) learned through a records check that he was an alcohol-restricted driver and required to have an interlock on his car, which he did not have," according to the charges.

Investigators say Abarca-Rodriguez had two passengers in his vehicle and the car he hit had two occupants, "all of whom were injured in the collision."

Abarca-Rodriguez told police he drank six to seven beers. A preliminary breath test measured his blood-alcohol level at 0.277%, or more than five times the legal limit, the charges state.

Court records state Abarca-Rodriguez was previously convicted of DUI in Murray Justice Court in April 2025.

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