TAYLORSVILLE — A Kearns man charged with killing a 3-year-old boy and injuring at least nine other people while driving intoxicated in January pleaded guilty Monday.
Manuel de Jesus Guinea, 45, pleaded guilty in 3rd District Court to automobile homicide, a second-degree felony, as part of a plea bargain. In exchange for his plea, nine counts of driving under the influence were dismissed, but Guinea accepted responsibility for restitution on all 10 charges.
On Jan. 25, Guinea drove his Dodge Ram through a red light at 5400 South and 1300 West at 65 mph and caused a crash with five other vehicles. The pickup truck ran into a Subaru Legacy, in which 3-year-old Zane Thurber was killed. Almost everyone in all the other vehicles were injured.
Police say Guinea attempted to blend in with bystanders at the scene of the crash, but witnesses detained him until police arrived.
Prior to the crash, witnesses saw Guinea "weaving in and out of his lane of travel," charging documents state.
Guinea will be sentenced on Nov. 7.
— Morgan Jacobsen