Charges Filed Against Man Accused Of Causing Deadly Crash In Big Cottonwood Canyon

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office formally filed charges against a driver who police say caused a deadly crash in Big Cottonwood Canyon, killing a mother and daughter.

Manases Castillo, 34, was charged Tuesday with two counts of criminal automobile homicide, a second-degree felony; one count of driving under the influence, a third-degree felony; and two counts of driving under the influence, class A misdemeanors.

The crash happened Aug. 17, just before 3 a.m. According to court documents, three other people were in the vehicle when Castillo reportedly drove off the road, went airborne and crashed into the back of a parked truck.

Brandilee Chacon, 44, and her daughter Sierra, 16, were asleep in the back of the truck. Chacon’s family said the two were on a camping trip for the teen’s birthday. Sierra Chacon died at the scene; Brandilee Chacon was critically injured and died one month later.

Authorities had been waiting on Castillo’s blood results before making an arrest. According to court documents, Castillo had ethanol and THC in his system at the time of the crash.

The victims’ family said they want those involved to be held accountable.

“Justice must happen here for them to kill two people in that kind of a reckless manner,” said Brandilee Chacon’s mother CarolAnn Gudjenova.

According to court documents, Castillo’s passengers were also injured in the crash. They later told detectives they had been drinking.

Castillo is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bail. A date for his initial appearance has yet to be set.