- A Kearns man, Osvaldo Chavez Segovia, faces charges after a fatal crash.
- He allegedly fled the scene, gave false statements, and did not have a driver's license.
- The crash resulted in the death of Madison Wagner and injuries to her boyfriend.
WEST VALLEY CITY — A Kearns man is facing criminal charges after police say tried to walk away from a fatal three-car crash in West Valley City over the weekend.
Osvaldo Chavez Segovia, 20, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with leaving the scene of an accident involving death and failing to stop at a serious injury accident, third-degree felonies; obstruction of justice and making a false statement, class A misdemeanors; and not having a driver's license, an infraction.
On July 13, West Valley police responded to a three-car crash on the Bacchus Highway near 5400 South.
"Officers were notified that the driver of the Toyota Corolla, identified as Madison Wagner, had been pronounced deceased on scene," and her boyfriend was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, according to charging documents.
An obituary says Wagner, 25, was from Tooele and is survived by her son.
After being given several false stories from the drivers of the other vehicles, the investigation determined that the driver of a Mazda 3 was traveling north on state Route 111 "when he struck the cement median and hit a pole" and bounced into another lane and hit Wagner's vehicle, according to charging documents.
A few seconds later, a Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Segovia, "stuck the Toyota on the driver side of the vehicle, causing both vehicles to travel down the embankment before coming to rest," the charges state.
The driver of the Mazda 3 also tried to walk away but only made it 300 feet before collapsing next to the Chevy, according to the charges. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and initially allegedly claimed that he was a passenger in the Chevrolet Silverado.
Segovia was the actual driver of the Silverado, and his passenger also attempted to walk away from the scene following the crash, the charges allege. But a police K-9 was able to track the two men down.
Segovia told police he was just walking in the area when he saw the crash, according to a police booking affidavit, and then filled out a witness statement for police using a false name.
But officers located a second passenger of the Chevy who stated that Segovia was the actual driver. Police confirmed Segovia used a false name to fill out his witness statement and arrested him at his home several hours later, the charges state. Investigators also learned that Segovia does not have a driver's license.
As of Thursday, no one else has been charged.
