UPDATE: Man charged with vehicular manslaughter following Idaho Falls crash
Published at | Updated at
UPDATE 1:45 p.m.
IDAHO FALLS — A California man is now facing two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter after two people died in a crash on 17th St. Saturday.
Nicholas R. Perea, 20, of Canyon Lake, California, was arraigned in Bonneville County Monday afternoon. He was originally charged with reckless driving and was released from jail after posting $300 bond.
Prosecutors amended the reckless driving charge Monday afternoon in exchange for the two vehicular manslaughter charges.
Perea stood silent, dressed in jeans and a white button-up shirt, as Judge Mark Riddoch read the amended charges.
Perea was taken into custody and booked into the Bonneville County jail on $50,000 bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 5.
ORIGINAL STORY
IDAHO FALLS — A man charged in a crash that killed two people has been released from jail.
Nicholas R. Perea, 20, of Canyon Lake, California, was booked into the Bonneville County Jail for reckless driving following the crash Saturday afternoon. Hours later he posted $300 bond and was released.
The crash happened at 17th St. and Curtis Ave. around 12:25 p.m. Police say a 1990 Mazda Miata, driven by Perea, crashed into a 2013 Buick LaCrosse, driven by an 82‐year‐old Idaho Falls man.
Witnesses told police Perea was driving westbound on 17th Street at approximately 60 mph.
The driver of the LaCrosse was southbound on Curtis and entering into the intersection at 17th and Curtis. Investigators say Perea attempted to stop to avoid crashing into the Buick, but was unsuccessful.
The Buick driver and his three passengers were all transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
Two of the passengers, a 79‐year‐old Idaho Falls woman and an 86‐year‐old Washington woman died as a result of their injuries Saturday night. The identities of the victims have not been released.
Additional or amended charges are pending prosecutor review.
Perea is scheduled to be in court Monday afternoon.
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