PROVO, Utah — A man has been charged for a rollover crash last month in Provo that claimed a woman's life.
On the morning of Aug. 1, police said Zachary Alan Ingalls showed up at an emergency room with injuries to his head and leg. He told hospital staff that his vehicle had rolled off Kyhv Peak Road and that another person was unresponsive in the vehicle. He reportedly flagged down a passing driver, who gave him a ride to the hospital.
Officers responded and found the overturned SUV on its roof about 50 yards from the road. A woman, later identified as Kortnie Benson Barajas, was found dead inside the vehicle.
"Our continued sympathies are extended to her family," the Provo Police Department said in a statement Monday announcing charges against Ingalls.
Ingalls was charged Monday with automobile homicide, a 2nd-degree felony, as well as 3rd-degree obstruction of justice. He was arrested last Wednesday. His bail was set at $10,000, but Utah County Jail records showed that he was still in custody as of Monday.
Investigators said Ingalls initially claimed that his brother was driving, but they proved that to be untrue. He then claimed Barajas was driving, but her family refuted that, saying she didn't know how to drive. Police later found security camera footage from a nearby business that showed Ingalls getting into the driver's seat around 11:30 p.m. the night before.
Ingalls' urine test showed a positive result for alcohol and THC, according to the arrest report.
Previous charges
In the charging documents, prosecutors pointed out that Ingalls had previously been convicted for a crash that left one passenger "permanently severely brain damaged," which also involved driving under the influence.
Court records show that on Jan. 19, 2022, Ingalls crashed his Corvette while allegedly driving recklessly. Witnesses told police it appeared he was going 90-100 miles per hour in zones with 25-30 mph speed limits. Court document said his blood test showed positive results for THC. He pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle negligently causing injury and sentenced to 364 days in prison, according to court records.
In February of this year, he was charged with driving under the influence. That case is still pending in the pre-trial stages.
