TAYLORSVILLE — One man is dead and another hospitalized in critical condition following a crash that police believe may have been caused by a drunken driver.
Just after 11 p.m. Monday, a woman driving west on 4700 South ran a red light and collided with a vehicle going south on 2700 West, according to a police booking affidavit.
The impact from the collision pushed the southbound vehicle about 200 feet into the northbound lane, said Unified police detective Ken Hansen.
The woman, Andrea Lane Miller, 39, of Taylorsville, got out of her car after the crash and tried to flee the scene, Hansen said.
“Witnesses heard the suspect stating, ‘I need to leave and I can’t do this,’” the affidavit states.
An agent with Adult Probation and Parole who happened to be in the area spotted the woman and stopped her.
“While being detained, the suspect stated she had a firearm in her jacket. One semi-auto pistol was removed from the left inside pocket of her jacket,” according to the affidavit.
The driver of the other vehicle, Ryan Muhlestein, 25, of Riverton, was killed. His passenger was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The name of the passenger was not released.
The arresting officer reported smelling alcohol on Miller’s breath.
“I performed field sobriety on the suspect and determined she was under the influence of alcohol. The suspect refused a blood draw and a warrant was issued and served,” the officer noted in his report.
Miller was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of automobile homicide, two counts of driving under the influence, failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, carrying a gun while under the influence, and running a red light.
As word of Muhlestein’s death spread, tributes and message of condolence were posted on social medial, as well as pleas to not drink and drive.
“This morning I found out that I lost my brother. He was killed in a car accident last night around 11 pm. ... As the holidays are coming to an end please DO NOT drink and drive. No one should have to feel the way me or my family is feeling for stupid decisions people make to get behind the wheel,” Colton Muhlestein posted on Facebook. “I’m gonna miss you so much. Rest easy buddy. Gone but never forgotten.”
According to Ryan Muhlestein’s Facebook page, he recently started a new job as a finance analyst at a computer company.