Utah man charged with vehicular manslaughter after boy dies in Franklin County crash

PRESTON — A man police say was driving drunk when he crashed his car, killing a 5-year-old passenger and seriously injuring three others, has been charged with multiple felonies.

Joshua Jason Hansen, 40, faces felony charges of vehicular manslaughter and three counts of aggravated DUI, as well as misdemeanor charges for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, court records show.

Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a single-vehicle rollover crash on Beckstead Road around 9 p.m. on June 25, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Deputies were informed that a vehicle was in a ditch and several passengers had been ejected from that vehicle and were in the water.

When deputies arrived, EMS was already on scene treating a 5-year-old on the shoulder of the roadway. The driver, Hansen, was sitting up in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, a black 2008 Mazda 3, which had come to an upright rest and was still running, police reports show.

Deputies helped EMTs remove another victim from the water and placed that person on the shoulder of the road to receive care.

Deputies found another two victims in the backseat of the vehicle. Reports show that neither victim was secured with any type of safety restraint. Both were crying and appeared to have suffered “severe injuries,” the affidavit says.

Fire crews were forced to remove the rear passenger-side door in order to remove the two victims from the backseat. Both of them were taken to Franklin County Medical Center, as was the victim who was removed from the ravine by deputies and EMTs.

Deputies were then informed that the 5-year-old victim receiving had been pronounced dead.

Hansen was removed from his vehicle and appeared to be under the influence, had trouble standing and had slow, slurred speech, court documents say. Deputies noted that while he was being loaded into an ambulance, he smelled strongly of alcohol.

He was taken to Franklin County Medical Center for treatment.

After the vehicle was removed from the ditch by a wrecking company, officers found a glass pipe with apparent marijuana residue behind the passenger seat.

The witness who called to report the crash told deputies he was outside when he heard a car speed through the intersection at 800 East and 3200 South, the affidavit says. The witness told police the car was traveling fast when it lost control and left the roadway.

Deputies went to the hospital and were informed that Hansen’s blood contained a “significant amount” of alcohol as well as marijuana.

Medical staff also informed deputies that the three surviving victims had been taken to other medical centers due to the extent of their injuries. Two, ages 20 and 3, were airlifted to other hospitals while the other, age 7, was taken by ambulance to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, the affidavit says.

Hansen was discharged from the hospital the following day and arrested on June 28. He was taken to Cache County Jail in Logan, Utah, where he is currently being held. A bail amount has not yet been set.

Though Hansen has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Hansen could face more than 60 years in prison.

He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Eric Hunn.