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- Colby William Bia, 24, was arrested after allegedly causing a fatal Salt Lake crash Saturday night.
- Bia, who has a DUI history, is accused of running a red light and killing Ernesto Puga, 42, while intoxicated.
SALT LAKE CITY — A 24-year-old man with a history of driving while impaired was arrested and accused of causing a fatal crash on Saturday night.
Colby William Bia was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of automobile homicide, negligently operating a vehicle causing injury, obstruction of justice, interfering with police, having an open container of alcohol in his car, running a red light, driving on a suspended license, being an alcohol restricted driver and assault by a prisoner.
About 7:15 p.m. Saturday, police say Bia ran a red light at the intersection of 900 West and 200 South and T-boned another vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle, Ernesto Puga, 42, was killed and Puga's daughter sustained "substantial injury" and was taken to a local hospital, according to a police booking affidavit.
"When initial contact with (Bia) was made, multiple open containers of alcohol were located on the passenger floorboard. (He) exhibited slurred speech, trouble balancing when standing, had an odor of alcohol coming from his person, and had bloodshot and glossy eyes," the affidavit alleges.
When officers attempted to draw blood from Bia as part of their DUI investigation, he had to be "forcibly restrained" because he resisted, according to police. One officer suffered a minor injury.
Last year, Bia drove through a crossing arm and into the side of a train at 1700 South and 500 West, according to charging documents. He was charged in that case with DUI, being an alcohol-restricted driver, driving on a suspended license and committing a railroad crossing infraction. According to court records, a warrant was issued for his arrest in September when he failed to attend a scheduled court hearing.
In 2023, Bia was convicted of an amended charge of attempted failure to stop for police, a third-degree felony, after trying to get away from police in his truck and crashing into a field near 6400 West and 4700 South, according to court documents.
