Prison ordered for Utah man who caused DUI crash that killed passenger

A Utah man has been ordered to spend between one and five years in prison after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed his passenger.

A Utah man has been ordered to spend between one and five years in prison after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed his passenger. (ESB Professional, Shutterstock)


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FILLMORE — A Utah man has been ordered to spend between one and five years in prison after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed his passenger.

Miguel Angel Garcia, 30, pleaded guilty on May 25 to automobile homicide with negligence from driving under the influence, a third-degree felony, plus obstruction of justice and possession of a controlled substance, class A misdemeanors.

Fourth District Judge Anthony Garcia sentenced Garcia on July 6 to between one and five years in prison for the automobile homicide and 364 days in jail for each of the misdemeanors. Howell ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.

Police were called to the crash on U.S. 6 about 30 miles west of Delta at 7:20 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2021, but the crash likely occurred earlier that day. By the time they arrived, Garcia was gone. Blanca Castaneda-Salazar, 22, of San Bernardino, California, had been ejected from the vehicle and killed, according to court documents. The two had been traveling from Las Vegas to Utah.

Castaneda-Salazar's mother told investigators she received a call from Garcia saying he left the scene because he was scared and thought Castaneda-Salazar was underneath the car.

Investigators learned that Garcia was trying to find someone to take him to Mexico, and he was later arrested in West Valley City, a police affidavit states. It also said he has been deported twice and could face charges for another illegal reentry into the United States.

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