TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — A 48-year-old Utah man with prior DUI offenses is facing several charges after a fatal hit-and-run collision in Taylorsville in which he allegedly switched vehicles after Sunday's incident.
Dennis Kilgore was arrested more than an hour after the accident that killed a motorcyclist, 65-year-old Maurico Rojo, at 5400 South 1500 West.
Taylorsville Police Department officers responded to the crash at 5:20 p.m. and found the male victim knocked off his motorcycle. Although police said the victim was wearing a helmet at the time he was struck, it had fallen off and the man died at the scene.
Witnesses told officers that the vehicle involved was a Chevrolet Avalanche with a Utah license plate. The front bumper of the vehicle and its license plate were found at the scene of the crash.
Another witness followed the pickup truck to a Murray neighborhood where Kilgore was allegedly spotted getting into another vehicle and driving away. The witness followed Kilgore and relayed his location to police, who were able to make an arrest.
When speaking to Kilgore, officers said say he showed noticeable signs of impairment, including slurred speech. One officer reported that even hours after his detainment, a strong smell of alcohol was present in the room.
Kilgore told officers that he had consumed around three shots of vodka at around noon.
Prior to the fatal crash, police said Kilgore rear-ended another vehicle near the intersection of 2700 West and 5400 South, with witnesses claiming Kilgore was unable to stay in his lane while driving.
Kilgore has four prior arrests for driving under the influence since 2021 and is currently under a revoked driver's license for his offenses. He is also required to have an ignition interlock device for his vehicles, which was not present.
Kilgore faces charges of automobile homicide, failure to remain at an accident scene involving death, and driving on a revoked license, among others. He is being held without bail.
