Highland High students testified Monday the driver of the car that struck and killed their friend was driving in the emergency lane and heading straight toward them.

The carload of teens had just left a tailgate party and was en route to a basketball game in Bountiful on March 1 when a tire blew out. They pulled into the emergency lane at the I-15 northbound collector near 2400 South and tried to change the tire.About 30 minutes later, the teens said, a red Mustang turned off of I-80 and headed toward them from the emergency lane.

"It came straight toward us," testified Steven Robbins, 16.

"I thought it was just a kid playing a joke because he accelerated," added Ricky Kone, 17.

Most of the teens jumped over the railing and into a ditch. But 17-year-old Sean Adkins didn't react in time.

The Mustang struck both Adkins and the parked station wagon. Adkins was thrown 108 feet and was later pronounced dead at LDS Hospital.

Paul Guy Bredehoft, 39, was arrested and charged with automobile homicide, driving on a revoked license, driving without registration and driving without insurance. A blood test disclosed that his blood-alcohol content was .0.27 - more than three times the legal limit, court documents state.

Third Circuit Judge Philip Palmer said the evidence he heard Monday was "probably probable cause" to order Bredehoft to stand trial on the charges. He postponed an official decision, however, until a toxicologist testifies on April 6.

Bredehoft, who has six drunken driving convictions since 1981, remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Jeff Peterson said there were no skid or brake marks at the scene. He said Bredehoft was traveling between 55 and 62 mph when the collision occurred, even though the posted speed limit on the collector is 40 mph.

Peterson said Bredehoft was sitting on the guard rail when he arrived at the scene. He said Brede-hoft was lethargic, had "extremely slurred" speech and a "strong odor of alcoholic beverage" and admitted he'd had six drinks, mostly beer.

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"At one point he started stumbling to the left and I had to grab hold of him to keep him from going over the guard rail," the trooper said.

"He was really confused. He'd say, `I killed a kid?' A few seconds would pass and he'd ask the same question."

Under cross examination, Peterson said he drew blood from Bredehoft without asking permission and some of the statements were made before a Miranda warning was given.

Defense attorney James D. Mickelson said his client's past DUI history "speaks for itself" but said Bredehoft is very remorseful about the accident. "He's very upset about it and sorry for what occurred out there that night," he said.

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