Background: An image taken at the scene of a Nov. 29 car crash that killed two people (Utah Department of Public Safety). Inset: Leo Shepherd and Anneka Wilson (GoFundMe).

Jose Angel Torres Jimenez was apprehended at the scene of the accident in Salt Lake County. Authorities allege that Jimenez, who was operating the vehicle with only a learner’s permit, exhibited clear signs of intoxication. According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, when Jimenez mistakenly drove his Audi SQ5 onto the I-15 northbound lanes in a southward direction.

The collision was devastating. The Nissan Rogue, driven by Shepherd, became engulfed in flames upon impact. The authorities have detailed that Jimenez admitted to a state trooper at the crash site that he did not feel safe to be driving, further highlighting the reckless nature of the tragedy.

Police reports and court documents, sourced from local news outlets, underscore the severity of the situation and the fatal consequences of driving under the influence. The heartbreaking loss of Shepherd and Wilson has prompted community support, with efforts to aid Wilson’s family through a dedicated fundraising page.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a press release that the crash took place after midnight on Saturday when Jimenez drove his Audi SQ5 onto the northbound I-15 while heading southbound. Not long after he allegedly started driving the wrong way, he collided with the Nissan Rogue being driven by Shepherd. Police said the Nissan was “fully engulfed in flames” after the collision.

Court documents stated that a state trooper went over to Jimenez’s car and opened the door. The trooper said he “immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage” upon finding Jimenez, who was slurring his words and had “glassy, bloodshot eyes” and “very relaxed facial features.”

While administering a field sobriety test, the trooper said Jimenez stumbled and admitted that he had been drinking that night.

Shepherd and Wilson were later identified by family members as the teen couple killed in the crash. Wilson’s brother told local CBS affiliate KUTV that his sister was getting ready to graduate from high school and study radiology. He said, “We’ve lost two beautiful young souls to yet another DUI and things need to change.”

Jimenez was charged with two counts of automobile homicide, driving under the influence, and violation of a learner’s permit. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.