Police say that calls began coming in to 911 about a reckless driver just moments before a pickup truck slammed into the back of an SUV, causing a chain reaction accident that ultimately involved five vehicles, killed a three-year-old boy and seriously injured two others. Witnesses claim that the driver of the pickup truck exited his vehicle after the crash and tried to blend in with the crowd. Someone grabbed the Utah man believed to be driving the vehicle and held onto him until police could arrive and arrest the man for DUI and vehicular homicide.
One witness told police she believed the vehicle driven by the accused man was traveling at 70 mph just prior to the collision. The same witness that detained the man until police arrived commented that the man reeked of alcohol. An officer on the scene claims the man did smell of alcohol and appeared to have vomited on himself. Supposedly, he was so intoxicated that he could not even remember his own name.
Police may have numerous statements from witnesses at the scene. However, an independent forensically based investigation needs to be conducted if Utah authorities believe the man is guilty of the charges against him. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Without sufficient facts to back up the witness statements, Utah prosecutors may not be able to substantiate the vehicular homicide and DUI charges filed against the man in question. Under our system of justice, anyone accused of a crime is considered innocent until and unless proved guilty in a court of law. It will be up to prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the man taken into custody that night is the same one who was driving the pickup truck.
Source: fox13now.com, Child in Taylorsville fatal crash identified, man faces charges, Tiffany Demasters, Mark Green and Carly Figueroa, Jan. 26, 2014
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