Daniel K. Riggs apparently fell through the figurative cracks in the legal system.
Riggs, 25, the driver of a truck involved in an accident last week that killed three people, should have been behind bars.State court and corrections officials say they thought Riggs was in custody. Just why he wasn't isn't clear.
Riggs was released from the Salt Lake County Jail Oct. 2 by Judge Stephen L. Henriod. The judge's order, dated Sept. 28, states Riggs was to be released into a "secure, long-term, in-patient (drug and alcohol treatment) program."
Henriod's judgment also orders Riggs to submit to "a full-time, after-care program" and 18 months probation. Jan Thompson, spokeswoman for the Court Administrator's Office, said the judge was told the treatment program lasted at least 90 days and was a secure facility.
Adult probation and parole officials, who monitor the 7,000 people on probation, said they thought Riggs was still in the Salt Lake County Jail.
Corrections spokesman Jack Ford said they weren't notified of the agreement to move Riggs from jail to a treatment program.
"He never came in and signed a probation agreement," Ford said, adding that Riggs told officials he attended a 10-day "stabilization program" at the University of Utah, which is an outpatient program and not secure.
Ford said Riggs admits never signing a probation agreement, which would have allowed officials to monitor him.
A Tuesday afternoon hearing for Riggs on probation violations was continued.
Ford said some of the blame may be placed with defense attorneys who persuaded Henriod to place Riggs in a treatment program.
"The Legal Defenders office has been refusing to talk to us," Ford said.
But finding out who prosecuted the case and who defended Riggs is complicated.
The defense attorney listed as appearing before Judge Henriod on Sept. 28, Richard Mauro said he doesn't remember Riggs or his case.
It is fairly common for attorneys in the same office to cover for each other, and Mauro believes he might have been covering for another attorney. The attorney he thought handled the case wasn't available for comment at press time.
The only prosecutor listed in court documents on Riggs' most recent convictions is Virginia Christensen, and she said she didn't handle the case. She also assumes she was covering for another prosecutor.
Police said Riggs was driving a truck that tried to elude a Utah Highway Patrol officer who was following them in a Taylorsvill-Bennion neighborhood in the early morning hours of Nov. 15.
The truck allegedly ran a red light and smashed into a car driven by Michael Lambrou, 18. Lambrou, his passenger, Lonnie James, also 18, and a passenger in the truck, Kevin Smithson, 20, were killed as a result of the accident.
The cars hit with such force that both vehicles traveled from the intersection of 5400 S. 2200 West into a nearby parking lot.
Salt Lake County sheriff's deputies are still investigating the accident and believe alcohol was involved. They also suspect the truck's occupants in a "smash-and-grab" robbery at a Millcreek convenience store.
As of Wednesday, Riggs hadn't been charged with any crimes stemming from the accident or alleged robbery.
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This story was available online at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.