Facebook Twitter

Drunken driver causes head-on crash injuring 2 in North Salt Lake, police say

SHARE Drunken driver causes head-on crash injuring 2 in North Salt Lake, police say
police_car_lights_AdobeStock_186542145.jpg

Adobe Stock

NORTH SALT LAKE — Police arrested a man who they say caused two cars to hit each other head-on while driving impaired.

Omar Nicholas Budge, 31, was booked into the Davis County Jail for investigation of two counts of failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving serious injury, and DUI causing injury.

About 6 p.m. Monday, Budge hit another vehicle on U.S. 89 at 100 South, according to a police affidavit. The impact from that collision sent the second vehicle into oncoming traffic where it hit a third vehicle head-on.

The driver of one vehicle, a teenager, went in and out of consciousness at the scene and was taken to Primary Children's Hospital in serious condition, police said. The other driver was also taken to a local hospital to be treated for multiple broken bones.

Budge continued driving and was spotted by other motorists “driving reckless” on I-15 “and almost crashing into other vehicles and the concrete barrier,” the affidavit states.

His abandoned vehicle was later found in a store parking lot in Layton. Witnesses called police saying he was acting “erratic,” according to the affidavit.

When interviewed by police, Budge said he had been drinking whiskey with friends, and officers noted his speech was slow and slurred, the affidavit states.