UHP Says Wrong-way Driver Had Been Drinking Prior To Deadly Crash
Aug 31, 2018, 10:55 PM | Updated: Sep 1, 2018, 1:13 am
SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah – Utah Highway Patrol investigators said late Friday that they had learned a driver who caused a deadly wrong-way crash on I-15 had been drinking in the hours prior to the crash.
“I can confirm the person was in fact consuming alcohol prior to the incident,” Sgt. Nick Street said. “I can’t speak directly to that level of impairment that the person may have. We’ll hopefully get those results from toxicology reports later from the medical examiner’s office.”
Street said State Bureau of Investigation agents were able to conclude the driver, identified as 24-year-old Kristina Marie Colindres, was drinking through a “TRACE” investigation or Targeting Responsibility in Alcohol-Connected Emergencies investigation.
Toxicology results aren’t expected back for six to eight weeks, Street said.
Troopers responded to the crash after 1 a.m. Friday on the southbound lanes of I-15 near the 2600 South exit on I-15.
Investigators said Colindres’ truck collided with a car carrying two people, identified as 23-year-old Samantha Sanchez and 40-year-old Paul Joseph Durocher.
“We believe those two passengers died instantly, and then the Ford F-series pickup caught fire,” Street said.
The fire, Street said, left little evidence inside the truck.
A search of court records showed Colindres had been charged last November in Murray with public intoxication.
Troopers were setting out Friday night on a Labor Day weekend DUI blitz in hopes of preventing disastrous consequences like those seen early Friday morning.
“Lives are at stake and as we’ve seen over the last 24-hours, innocent lives have been lost because of people’s poor decisions to consume alcohol and we don’t want to see it again,” Street said.
