Driver facing DUI criminal homicide charges after canyon accident that killed mother, daughter

Manases Vicente Castillo (inset) is charged in an Aug. 17, 2019 collision that killed a mother and teen daughter in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Photos: Salt Lake County; Gephardt Daily/Monico Garza/SLCScanner

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 1, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Layton man has been booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on two counts of criminal homicide after the DUI crash that killed a mother and daughter camping in a pickup bed in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Manases Vicente Castillo, 34, stands charged with:

  • Two counts of automobile homicide criminal negligence DUI of alcohol/drugs, a second-degree felony
  • One count of driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs as a third-degree felony
  • Two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs as a class A misdemeanor

The charges stem from an Aug. 17 crash that killed Sierra Chacon, 16, at the scene. Sierra’s mother, 44-year-old Brandilee Chacon, was critically injured and died on Sept. 17, a month later, as a result of the injuries. A coroner’s report says the elder Chacon died from “multiple organ failure of due to being struck by a motor vehicle.”

Sierra Rosalina Chacon Photo Obituary

Mother and daughter were camping to celebrate Sierra’s birthday.

The accident happened when Castillo lost control near 9300 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon, the probable cause statement says.

“A white Chevrolet Malibu was traveling down the canyon at a high rate of speed, left the roadway, and vaulted onto a parked Ford truck” the probable cause statement says.

Officials were not immediately sure which of four men occupants was driving the Chevy, which contained Castillo, German David Bulla-Morales, Ignacio Alfonso Troncoso-Barra and Juan Sebastian Daza-Monsalve.

When interviewed, the latter three said they had been drinking beer and whiskey at Troncoso-Barra’s apartment when they decided to drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to view the city lights.

After about 30 minutes, they headed back with Castillo at the wheel, the men said.

Bulla-Morales told officials he suffered a broken back, broken nose, scrapes and bruises in the collision. Daza-Monsalve, seated behind Castillo, said he suffered cuts, scrapes and abrasions from the collision.

A family member of Troncoso-Barra told officials he suffered major traumatic brain injury, a lacerated lung, and broken spinal bones.

Castillo’s blood was tested shortly after the crash, and results indicated he had 11 nanograms per milliliter of THC-COOH and 0.14 grams per 100 milliliters of ethanol. The latter is nearly three times the legal blood alcohol limit.

A warrant for Castillo was issued Friday. He was booked into the Davis County Jail on Saturday, and was transferred to the Salt Lake County Jail on Monday.

Castillo’s bail is set at $250,000. His initial court appearance is set for Thursday.

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