TAYLORSVILLE, Utah, Dec. 31, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A man has been arrested after the death of a pedestrian early Sunday morning in Taylorsville.
Aron Jimenez Contreras, 19, has been booked into jail for investigation of:
- Negligently operating a vehicle resulting in death, a second-degree felony
- Driving under the influence, first offense in 10 years, a class B misdemeanor
- Accident involving property damage, a class B misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Careless driving, a class C misdemeanor
- Speeding, an infraction
Taylorsville police responded to the area of 5400 South and 3900 West, “where the victim was able to provide a license plate of the suspect vehicle,” says Contreras’ affidavit, filed by an officer of the Taylorsville Police Department.
“A few minutes later officers received another call regarding an auto pedestrian accident a couple blocks away involving the same suspect vehicle from the hit and run.”
Officers found Contreras at the scene, “trying to perform CPR on the victim,” it says. “The victim succumbed to his injuries and died on scene.”
Contreras was arrested at 2:40 a.m. Sunday, his affidavit says. Post Miranda, Contreras “admitted to being at the address of the hit and run, and advised he left without stopping because he thought he just hit a curb,” says the police statement, referring to the first hit-and-run scene.
In the second case, Contreras “admitted to being the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle and advised he didn’t see the victim in the roadway. (Contreras) advised he was eating food as he drove, which prohibited him from seeing the victim sooner and he admitted to having a couple beers prior to the accident.”
Contreras also “stated he was speeding and estimated his speeds at 45-50 MPH in a 35 MPH zone.” He was driving an SUV, according to an earlier statement from police.
With written and verbal permission, officers downloaded data from Contreras’ vehicle, “which showed his speeds much higher which amounted to more than double the speed limit,” the affidavit says.
At the police department, Contreras showed signs of impairment, and a “breathalyzer was administered which showed a .035 BAC.”
Contreras was ordered held without bail.
No information has been released about the man killed except that he was in his mid-30s.
