Drunken chase and deadly crash suspect faces over a dozen charges

Oct 29, 2021, 8:46 PM | Updated: Dec 29, 2022, 12:03 pm

FILE: A screenshot from dashcam video showing the wreckage of the crash on October 16. Photo: North Salt Lake Police

Former Reporter

SALT LAKE CITY — A West Jordan man accused of a drunken chase from police and causing a deadly crash is officially charged on over a dozen counts. Prosecutors said the man has a history of driving drunk and evading police.

Overall, Christian Cody Facer has been charged with 14 different crimes for reportedly speeding away from officers in Davis County then crashing into a Nissan Pathfinder, killing a 33-year-old woman.

“The lead charge is manslaughter, that is to recklessly cause the death of another,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said.

“Then, of course, failing to respond to officers’ signals to stop resulting in injury or death. That’s also a second-degree felony.”

Driver, passenger seen sharing bottle of alcohol while driving

According to the probable cause statement, officers in Bountiful were called to find a truck that was moving erratically. The two people inside were seen passing a bottle of whiskey between each other.

Officers in North Salt Lake spotted the truck and tried to pull Facer over, but, he reportedly sped away. He then reportedly led police on a chase that reached Rose Park. At one point, Facer was reportedly going over 100 mph on I-15.

“This involved, as we lay out in our probable cause statement, multiple running of red lights and stop signs and traveling at a high speed,” Gill said.

Police say Facer crashed into Thy Hoang Vu, a community activist and one of the founders of Mim’s Bakery. Gill said, Vu’s passenger was significantly hurt and a dog inside Vu’s car died from the impact.

“We have a serious injury to another person. We had a dog that was killed, in this,” Gill said.

Investigators say drunken chase was preceded by hours of drinking

According to investigators, Facer and his passenger admitted they had been drinking for six hours before the crash happened. His blood-alcohol content level was reportedly seven times the legal limit.

“As we stated in our probable cause statement, [he had] a [blood alcohol content] level of .35,” Gill said.

Facer was also charged with reckless driving, felony DUI and not having a breathalyzer interlocking device on his vehicle. He was required to have that lock because of two previous DUI infractions. He was also charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal because a dog was killed. Facer could be sentenced to one to 15 years in prison for the manslaughter charge, alone.