A Utah man is in jail and his wife is dead after police said he drunkenly ran her over in a Salt Lake City International Airport parking garage.
According to police, the 38-year-old man, his 29-year-old wife and their “small child” had just returned from a trip, and they were in the airport’s short-term parking garage at about 2:30 p.m. on Monday.
At their car, security footage shows the husband place the couple’s child into the right-rear passenger seat of the vehicle, according to a probable cause statement. He then got into the driver’s seat and, while his wife was standing next to the open, right-rear passenger door, he put the vehicle in reverse, knocking her to the ground and running her over, the document states.
According to police, the footage shows the suspect drive for about 10 feet before stopping the car, walking over to the woman and putting her in the front seat, the document states. He then drove to a tollbooth, where he asked for help.
The woman was taken to a hospital, where she died a short time later.
According to police, the suspect smelled of alcohol and had “glassy, bloodshot eyes.” As he was being transported to the Salt Lake City police station, he “made several spontaneous utterances,” including that he “ran my wife over,” “killed my wife” and “I accidentally ran her over,” the document states.
He was booked into the Salt Lake County jail for investigation of automobile homicide and DUI. He is being held without bail.
Police had cordoned off a few scenes at the airport Monday evening as detectives investigated.
The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name suspects until they have been formally charged with a crime.
