A Lewiston man has been bound over for trial on charges of automobile homicide and drunken driving stemming from an April accident that killed a 19-month-old girl.
Vaughn L. Blair, 59, was bound over Friday to 1st District Court on the third-degree felony homicide charge and charges of drunken driving in an injury accident, a class A misdemeanor.Prosecutors allege Blair's negligence resulted in the death of Kayzia D. Fawcett of Vanderhoof, British Columbia. She and her family were visiting relatives in Lewiston.
Blair is accused of running over the girl with his pickup truck. He apparently did not see Kayzia, who was playing in the road.
Kayzia's father, Ron Fawcett, testified he had gone outside his brother-in-law's house to look for Kayzia when he saw the collision. He said the truck did not slow down and failed to stop until about a block away.
Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Ryan Bauer, who investigated the accident, said Blair told him he never saw the girl.
"He said he was driving down the road when he heard a bump. Then he heard a scream behind him, so he pulled over," Bauer said.
Deputy Cache County Attorney Jeff Burbank said a blood test showed Blair had a blood alcohol level of 0.11. The legal limit in Utah is 0.08.
But Blair's attorney, Brian Florence, questioned the test results. He said Blair went home twice before going to the hospital for the test, which was conducted about 11/2 hours after the accident.
Bauer said Blair returned home immediately after the accident to get his heart medication because he was having chest pain. Later Blair returned home again to get blood pressure pills, he said.
Florence said Blair may have consumed alcohol while at home.