SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 1, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has ruled on two alleged cases of Officer Involved Critical Incidents, and determined no charges will be filed against officers in either case.
Both cases involved deaths that followed police pursuits. The cases do not meet the OICI criteria, a statement released by District Attorney Sim Gill‘s office says.
North Salt Lake Police
The first case was on Oct. 16, 2021, and involved officers of the North Salt Lake Police Department who pursued a suspect who fled south, into the Rose Park neighborhood of Salt Lake City.
Two officers of the NSLPD were pursuing a 1999 gold Ford F-250 when the suspect vehicle collided with a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder.
“The collision resulted in fatal injuries to the driver of the Pathfinder, critical injuries to the passenger of the Pathfinder, and serious injuries to both the driver and the passenger of the F-250,” says a summary shared in a news release.
On the day of the incident, dispatchers received multiple reports of the pickup driver “driving erratically, speeding, ‘weaving in an out of traffic’ and ‘running in and out of traffic,” the DA Office letter says.
A North Salt Lake Police officer attempted a traffic stop, and a second NSLPD officer joined the pursuit, the statement says. The pickup driver, Christian Cody Facer, fled at high speed, the statement says.
Facer allegedly ran a red light at 1000 North and 1200 West, in Salt Lake City, and struck the Pathfinder driving through the intersection while traveling at about 75 mph.
The Pathfinder driver, who died at the scene, was later identified as 33-year-old Thy Hoang Vu. Her passenger was critically injured, suffering traumatic brain injury, a spinal fracture and multiple broken ribs, says the letter from the DA’s Office.
Gill concluded his letter on the OICI review saying, “we do not believe that the facts of this case fall within the definition of an ‘officer-involved critical incident.'”
The letter added that the death and serious injuries sustained in the case “was not ‘resulting from'” the actions taken by the NSLPD officers.
“We do not believe it is in the interest of justice to file criminal charges against either officer in this matter.”
Taylorsville Police
The second case reviewed happened on March 17 of this year. Information released in the case says Taylorsville Police officers were attempting to recover a stolen black 2011 Chrysler 200 with two males seated inside.
The car “went mobile,” says Gill’s letter to law enforcement officials. Officers planned to attempt a traffic stop and set up tire spikes, the statement says. A nearby Department of Public Safety helicopter was asked to provide surveillance so police would not have to initiate a pursuit.
The fleeing vehicle hit the spike strips, but continued after initially appearing to be out of control. A second set of spike strips was placed, but the car continued after hitting them.
Soon after, the driver lost control of the car and hit a large metal power pole. The vehicle’s driver and passenger had to be extricated and were transported to a local hospital.
The stolen car’s driver, 40-year-old Jeremy Arthur Lettow, later died of sustained injuries.
The DA’s Office found this case also did not fall within the OICI guidelines, because officers were not pursuing the car on the ground immediately prior to the crash and did not use lights and sirens.
The spikes used were deployed at a significant distance, 6.39 miles, from the final crash site.
“We believe it is reasonable to conclude that collision was probably not the result of police conduct,” the DA’s statement says, adding “… evidence did not support the injuries were ‘resulting from’ any officer’s conduct.”
