Herriman man charged with 2 counts of murder, sex abuse in 120 mph wrong-way crash

SALT LAKE CITY — A Herriman man accused of killing two people in a wrong-way fiery crash also hit and sexually assaulted a teenage girl in a hotel parking lot just prior to that crash, investigators say.

Jose Angel Torres Jimenez, 21, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with two counts of murder, a first-degree felony; forcible sexual abuse and aggravated assault, second-degree felonies; aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; going the wrong way on the highway while DUI, a class A misdemeanor; and violating his learner’s permit, an infraction.

About 1:50 a.m. on Nov. 29, Salt Lake police responded to a hit-and-run crash at the DoubleTree hotel, 110 W. 600 South. Officers were told that a 17-year-old girl had been run over on the top floor of the parking garage.

“Officers observed a large amount of blood on the left side of (her) face and neck,” according to charging documents.

A witness told police that the girl and her boyfriend were arguing with Torres. Torres then got into his car and hit the teen girl “straight on,” according to the charges. The witnesses also claimed that all three had been staying in the same hotel room when the teen girl woke up to Torres allegedly touching her inappropriately.

“(The boyfriend ) stated he followed Torres … out to the parking garage, trying to get (Torres) to explain his actions. (He) stated that once they reached the parking garage, Torres … ran to his vehicle and got in. (The boyfriend) stated that Torres … pulled out of the parking spot and accelerated toward him and (the teen girl) who was standing behind (him). (The boyfriend) stated he got out of the way but that (the girl) was hit head-on,” according to the charges.

Prosecutors say the girl “suffered a concussion resulting in memory loss, bruising and scrapes, and a laceration to the back of the head which required staples.”

About two minutes after Salt Lake police were called to the hotel, Utah Highway Patrol emergency dispatchers received calls of a car driving the wrong way on the 600 South off-ramp and entering I-15.

“Dispatch was later notified that the Audi had crashed into a Nissan Rogue traveling south in the HOV lanes near 2100 South. First responders arrived at 1:56 a.m. and found the Nissan fully engulfed in flames,” according to the charges. “Witnesses stated that as they approached the vehicle, the driver, identified as Anneka Wilson, had been trying to crawl out of the Rogue and that they assisted in helping her away from the vehicle.”

Both Wilson, 17, and 18-year-old Leo Ray Shepherd — who never made it out of the car — died from injuries sustained in the crash.

A portable breath test recorded Torres’ blood-alcohol level at 0.13%, more than double the legal limit, the charges allege. Results from a formal toxicology test from a blood draw were still pending as of Monday.

When questioned by troopers, Torres at first stated he was traveling in the right direction. He then claimed he was at a hotel bar near 4100 South and did not believe troopers who told him he wasn’t near that location “and had to be shown where he was on his phone’s GPS map,” the charges state. He then allegedly further claimed he was being “chased” when asked why he entered the freeway going the wrong way.

Investigators determined that Torres was traveling 120 mph just before the crash and that he did not have a valid license at the time, the charges state. They believe he first hit a cement barrier and then “pushed down on his throttle at 100% and continued down the road, where he hit Anneka Wilson and Leo Ray Shepherd, causing their Rogue to be engulfed in flames. (His) vehicle then traveled another 660 feet before coming to rest without braking.”

Prosecutors have requested that Torres be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.

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