SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 13, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake County District Attorney has announced the sentence given to Steven Merrill Rollins two years after he struck and killed an 11-year-old boy in West Valley City.
A judge previously found Rollins guilty in the Aug. 10, 2022 fatal injury of the boy, who had exited a UTA bus with his mother in the area of 4244 S. 4000 West. Rollins had been smoking meth and heroin with a friend, whom he left to go and purchase more drugs.
Today, Salt Lake County DA Sim Gill announced a Third District Court judge sentenced Steven Merrill Rollins for hitting and killing the boy after consuming methamphetamine and heroin.
Mother and son were walking on the side of the road “when the defendant driving near them swerved, hitting the child,” says a statement issued by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
“Witnesses told investigators the defendant did not hit his brakes; he continued driving. The victim later died of his injuries. Police located and took the defendant into custody on Aug. 12 (of 2022).
“On Monday, the judge sentenced the defendant to 1-15 years for one count of second-degree felony automobile homicide. As part of the guilty plea, the defendant has a lifetime enhancement for DUIs.”
If he is arrested in the future for driving under the influence, he will face a third-degree felony DUI, which, without the enhancement, would typically be a class A or class B misdemeanor, the statement says.
“If you have taken substances that can affect your ability to drive, stay where you are or get a ride,” Salt Lake County DA Sim Gill said in the released statement. “The decision not to drive can make the difference between life and death for you or other members of our community.
“We hope this guilty plea and sentence helps the victim’s loved ones begin the process of healing as much as is possible from their tragic loss of a young child.”
Gill thanked prosecutors and the office’s support staff “for their years of work on this difficult case. We commend the thorough investigation by the West Valley City Police Department that helped lead to this conviction and sentence.”
