This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 31-year-old Salt Lake City man has pleaded guilty to driving drunk when his SUV rear-ended a car on Wasatch Boulevard in May, causing the death of one of the car's passengers and injuring two others.
Carter Tyler Davern Foulger told police that he swerved into the rear of the Volkswagon Golf car while trying to take a picture of the sunset the night of May 30, Cottonwood Heights police have said.
The three occupants of the Volkswagon also were interested in the sunset. The car — with hazard lights flashing — was stopped in the center lane of the road, preparing to pull over so the occupants could watch the sunset, when the crash occurred, according to charging documents.
Killed was Janet Etheredge, 59, who was sitting in the car's back seat. She died at the scene.
The driver and another passenger in the car suffered broken bones and other injuries and were taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Foulger was initially charged with second-degree felony automobile homicide and two counts of third-degree felony driving under the influence.
He pleaded guilty on Friday in 3rd District Court to a lesser third-degree felony count of auto homicide, as well as the two DUI counts.
Foulger faces up to five years in prison on each count when he is sentenced Feb. 27 by Judge Royal Hansen.
The crash occurred at 9:21 p.m. at 6800 S. Wasatch Boulevard (3550 East), when Foulger's northbound Ford Exploere collided with the car.
Witnesses told police Foulger was traveling in excess of the posted 50 mph speed limit at the time of the crash, charges state. Foulger told police he had consumed 3-4 beers and 2-3 shots of liquor during the evening. A Breathalyzer test showed he had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit of 0.08 percent, charges state.