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A Texas man who caused a triple-fatal car accident last year in southeastern Utah, pleaded guilty on Thursday to reduced charges and was ordered to serve 60 days in jail.
David Lewis, 29, of Saginaw, Texas, was charged in Monticello's 7th District Court with three counts of second-degree felony manslaughter in connection with the August 2013 crash.
On Thursday, Lewis pleaded guilty to three counts of class A misdemeanor negligent homicide — a two-step reduction in severity — and was immediately sentenced to the jail time and 12 months probation.
Killed on State Road 191 about 30 miles south of Moab were Lewis' passengers, Juan Vidales, 54, Stephanie Vidales, 28, both of Saginaw, Texas; and 69-year-old Arthur Loewen, of Perry, Ga., who was riding in another car.
During the sentencing hearing, San Juan County Attorney Craig Halls told Judge Lyle Anderson that the family of the two victims riding in Lewis' car did not want to pursue felony charges, according to the court docket. Halls added that he has been unable to reach Loewen's family.
On the afternoon of Aug. 16, 2013, Lewis, who was driving southbound in a Nissan Maxima, tried to pass a semitrailer and collided with an oncoming Hyundai before the Nissan spun out of control and was struck on the passenger side by a northbound Cadillac DTS.
Juan Vidales was in the front passenger seat of the Nissan and was killed on impact, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. Stephanie Vidales was in a rear passenger seat and was ejected from the car.
Ten-year-old Lillian Vidales, also of Saginaw, Texas, was ejected and injured.
Loewen was the front passenger in the Cadillac and also was killed upon impact, the UHP said. Two others in the Cadillac were also injured. The occupants of the Hyundai suffered minor injuries.
The UHP has said that alcohol and drugs did not appear to be factors in the crash.
"He was reckless," said Halls has said of Lewis' behavior. "What he was doing was reckless and he should have recognized his behavior was out of line."