Background: An image taken at the scene of a Nov. 29 car crash that killed two people (Utah Department of Public Safety). Inset: Leo Shepherd and Anneka Wilson (GoFundMe).
A Utah man was charged with automobile homicide after he was allegedly drunk behind the wheel when he crashed his car head-on into another car carrying a teen couple.
Jose Angel Torres Jimenez, 21, was arrested at the scene of the crash that took place on Interstate 15 in Utah's Salt Lake County on Saturday. Police said Jimenez, who was allegedly driving with just a learner's permit, showed signs of intoxication when he drove the wrong way and crashed head-on into a car carrying 18-year-old Leo Shepherd and 17-year-old Anneka Wilson. Both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate KTVX, a state trooper asked Jimenez at the scene "if he felt safe to be driving." He reportedly said, "No."
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The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a press release that the crash took place after midnight on Saturday when Jimenez drove his Audi SQ5 onto the northbound I-15 while heading southbound. Not long after he allegedly started driving the wrong way, he collided with the Nissan Rogue being driven by Shepherd. Police said the Nissan was "fully engulfed in flames" after the collision.
Court documents stated that a state trooper went over to Jimenez's car and opened the door. The trooper said he "immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" upon finding Jimenez, who was slurring his words and had "glassy, bloodshot eyes" and "very relaxed facial features."
While administering a field sobriety test, the trooper said Jimenez stumbled and admitted that he had been drinking that night.
Shepherd and Wilson were later identified by family members as the teen couple killed in the crash. Wilson's brother told local CBS affiliate KUTV that his sister was getting ready to graduate from high school and study radiology. He said, "We've lost two beautiful young souls to yet another DUI and things need to change."
Jimenez was charged with two counts of automobile homicide, driving under the influence, and violation of a learner's permit. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.