This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Moab teenager was arrested and booked into jail on Wednesday for allegedly driving while under the influence during a March car crash that killed two other teens.
The teen driver, who was 17 at the time of the crash, has been charged in Monticello's 7th District Juvenile Court with two counts of second-degree felony automobile homicide, two counts of third-degree felony driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and one count each of class B misdemeanor reckless driving and unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor.
He also was charged one count of second-degree felony sexual abuse of a child, and one count of a class A misdemeanor lewdness involving a child.
Neither the court documents nor a San Juan County Sheriff's Office news release explain whether the alleged sexual abuse and lewdness counts are related to the fatal crash. Charging documents indicate only that all eight alleged crimes occurred on March 5.
The teen, who turned 18 four days after the crash, was being held without bail at the San Juan County jail. An initial court hearing was set for May 2.
The crash occurred sometime before 7:30 a.m. on March 5, which was the morning after Grand County High School's prom.
The teen and his four passengers were in a Subaru Impreza when he lost control and crashed on the Lasal Loop Road just south of Ken's Lake in northern San Juan County, the sheriff's office news release said.
Three of the five teens were ejected when the vehicle rolled several times.
Two of the ejected teenagers — Taylor Bryant, 14, and Connor Denney, 16 — were pronounced dead at the scene.
A 17-year-old male passenger who also was ejected remained in critical condition at a hospital on Wednesday, the news release said.
The driver and a 14-year-old female passenger were not ejected from the car, but also were critically injured, said police.
In addition to alcohol use, police believe excessive speed contributed to the crash, the news release said. A search warrant affidavit filed in connection with the case states that the car was going in excess of 80 mph in a 40-mph zone prior to the crash.
Grand County High School has confirmed that four of the teenagers were students there, and that the youngest teen attended Grand County Middle School.
Twitter: @tiffany_mf