A Tooele man who fatally hit a man who pushed his wife to safety has been formally charged. Police say the driver had a blood-alcohol level that was six times the legal limit and did not have a valid driver’s license when he drove onto the sidewalk.
Travis Patrick McIntyre, 41, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with automobile homicide, a second-degree felony; negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, a class A misdemeanor; drug possession, a class B misdemeanor; driving on a denied license, a class C misdemeanor; and a traffic infraction.
On Sept. 3, about 6:30 p.m., Matthew Daines, 25, and his wife, Andrea, were walking on the sidewalk in Springville, near 40 East and 400 South, to get pizza when Andrea “heard a loud crash, and when she looked up, she saw a vehicle coming at them,” according to charging documents.
Daines "heroically pushed his wife out of the way, taking the entire impact" of the Chevrolet Silverado pulling a trailer that had hopped the curb onto the sidewalk, Springville police stated. He later died at a local hospital. His wife suffered a few cuts on her arm.
“The vehicle had previously come to a stop in the intersection, impeding traffic. When the driver began to drive again, he drove into the oncoming turn lane and sideswiped (another) vehicle who was waiting to turn. The driver then drove over the sidewalk and hit (Matthew and Andrea) as well as a traffic pole,” the charges state.
Police say McIntyre was unable to complete field sobriety tests and during an Intoxilizer test “blew a 0.307% blood-alcohol content, more than six times the legal limit. (His) urine also tested positive for THC,” according to the charges.
Eleven empty containers plus three unopened containers of alcohol were found in the vehicle.
Daines’ family released a statement following the crash: “No words can adequately express our sense of loss at the sudden and unexpected death of our son Matthew Daines,” the family said.
“The event that took him from us and this Earth resulted from human error, but does not undermine the power and love of the Almighty, in whose wisdom we choose to trust,” the statement continues. “In our profoundly deep sorrow, we encourage no sense of retribution to anyone.”
McIntyre is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on Monday afternoon.