A man involved in a fatal car accident while attempting to flee a Salt Lake City police officer was charged with one count of criminal homicide, automobile homicide, Wednesday in Third Circuit Court.
Richard Anderson, 31, was charged in the death of Betty W. Eubank, 67. Anderson's car collided with a car driven by Charles Eubank, 68, at 700 E. 1700 South on April 12.Betty W. Eubank, a passenger in the car, was treated for her injuries at University Hospital and was hospitalized for six days. She collapsed at her home four days later and was taken to St. Mark's Hospital. She died later that day.
Charles Eubank was hospitalized eight days.
Officer Lon Halterman clocked Anderson's vehicle at 58 mph with a radar gun moments before the collision. He turned on his overhead lights and pursued the car, according to a police report. The officer slowed down when he approached the intersection at 700 E. 1700 South, but Anderson braked briefly and then continued through the red light, colliding with the Eubank car.
Immediately after the crash the defendant stated, "I should not have done that, but if I had stopped, I knew I would go to jail," according to court documents.
A blood draw was made and Anderson's result was a blood-alcohol level content of .09 percent, the documents state.
Anderson was also charged with one count of failure to respond to an officer's signal or command, a class A misdemeanor, and speeding, a class C misdemeanor. Automobile homicide is a second-degree felony.
Halterman was cleared of any wrongdoing in the chase by a pursuit review board April 23.