- A 39-year-old man was arrested in connection with a multivehicle crash in Murray.
- Daniel James Eley allegedly stole his mother's car and drove while intoxicated.
- He was arrested for investigation of vehicle theft, DUI and making a threat of violence.
MURRAY — A 39-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after police say he took his mother's car, drove off while intoxicated and caused a multivehicle crash on the Van Winkle Expressway during the morning commute.
Daniel James Eley was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of vehicle theft, DUI, failing to remain at the scene of a serious accident, reckless driving, negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, driving on a suspended license, assault and making a threat of violence.
Eley was at his mother's house on Monday and was seen "consuming large amounts of an alcoholic beverages throughout the night and acted belligerent," according to Murray police. The next morning, he demanded that his mother drive him to his grandmother's house and make a stop at EOS Fitness, 5550 S. 900 East, along the way.
But while in the parking lot of the gym, "Daniel became extremely verbally aggressive toward his mother," a police booking affidavit states. "Daniel continued to be aggressive toward his mother and started reaching over to grab the steering wheel and shift knob."
His mother stopped the car and got out to call 911, to which "Daniel responded to in an aggressive manner, and while holding a pen in his hand started to threaten to stab his mother," the affidavit alleges.
Eley then got into the driver's seat and with his mother standing close enough nearby while holding the key fob, started the car and drove off, police say.
He drove north on 900 East and approached the Van Winkle Expressway. Based on "witnesses and skid marks at the scene," Eley was "traveling at 'freeway speeds'" as he came up on other vehicles stopped for a red light, and slammed into the back of one of the stopped cars "at full speed," according to the affidavit.
Eley continued driving into the intersection where he "t-boned" a second vehicle, police said. He then got out of his car and "left the scene" but was "taken into custody down the road by a nearby officer."
"Daniel made unprovoked statements that he was 'DUI' and … additionally made unprovoked statements that he had a container of an alcoholic beverage and decided to 'chug it' prior to the altercation" with his mother, according to the arrest report.
