– CO woman charged after hitting motorcyclists in Utah
– Woman charged after hitting two motorcyclists in Utah.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

SALT LAKE CITY: Woman Charged After Hit-and-Run Incident in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – A woman from Colorado Springs is facing charges after allegedly being involved in a hit-and-run incident in August 2023. The incident occurred when she was reportedly driving her coworker’s rental car without permission and struck two motorcyclists while under the influence.

The woman, identified as Jordan Alexandra Edwards, was in Utah for a business event at the time, according to the indictment from the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office.

Edwards’s coworker provided a statement that was included in the indictment, stating that Edwards did not have permission to drive the rental car. However, she took the keys and car anyway after consuming alcohol.

Multiple Charges Filed Against Edwards

Edwards is now facing four different charges, two of which are negligently operating a vehicle resulting in serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony. The other charges include theft of a firearm or operable motor vehicle, which is a second-degree felony, and failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop, a third-degree felony.

A West Jordan Police officer’s statement, also included in the indictment, explained how the officer responded to a hit-and-run report in Salt Lake County. The officer’s investigation revealed that Edwards had collided with two motorcyclists while they were all traveling in the same direction.

Court documents state that Edwards failed to slow down while approaching the two motorcyclists at a red light, resulting in a collision. One of the motorcyclists suffered several injuries, including a vertebral artery injury and a fractured sacrum. The other motorcyclist was trapped underneath the rental car and dragged into the intersection, sustaining broken ribs, internal bleeding, and a fractured pelvis, among other injuries.

Witnesses Testify Against Edwards

Several witnesses reported seeing Edwards push one of the motorcyclists into the intersection before reversing the car and fleeing the scene.

When another West Jordan Police officer caught up to Edwards, he attempted to initiate a traffic stop by turning on emergency lights. However, Edwards did not stop immediately. Eventually, she stopped in the parking lot of a business, where several officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol on her breath and person.

According to the officers’ reports, Edwards claimed she had stayed at the accident scene and seemed disoriented. However, after being informed about the injuries sustained by the motorcyclists, she reportedly laughed and claimed she did not intentionally cause the accident.

Impaired Driving and Flight Risk

Tests revealed that Edwards was driving under the influence at four times the legal limit. She tested positive for both alcohol and THC.

The indictment describes Edwards as a flight risk and a danger to the community due to her actions of fleeing from officers and driving under the influence.

This incident serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of impaired driving and the importance of responsible behavior on the road.

Sources:

• ABC4: https://www.abc4.com/

.

1. “CO woman charged after hitting motorcyclists in Utah”
2. “Colorado woman faces charges for hitting motorcyclists in Utah”.