A 54-year-old West Valley City man pleaded guilty to automobile homicide this month after he struck and killed a 23-year-old pregnant woman in Salt Lake City last year with his car.
Jack Archibald was driving down 1700 South on May 3, 2022, when he suddenly veered across two lanes of traffic near 900 East, then drove up onto a sidewalk, where he struck Libbie Allan and her daughter, police said.
Allan was 17 weeks pregnant at the time and taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her 2-year-old daughter was critically wounded in the wreck but survived her injuries.
Police said crash data indicated that Archibald had exited the vehicle after impact, but 90 seconds later, drove away. He was later arrested at the Forest Dale Golf Course after construction workers nearby called 911 when they noticed the suspicious condition of his vehicle.
Archibald later admitted to officers that he had experienced a “blackout” while driving, and came to after the crash when the car came to a stop. He told police he drank a six-pack of beer and used marijuana the night before, and that he had a cocktail that morning before driving.
When police administered a breathalyzer test approximately three hours after the crash, Archibald had a blood alcohol level of 0.136%. In Utah, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.05% or higher.
Archibald pleaded guilty Jan. 5 to two felony counts of automobile homicide and one felony count of driving under the influence. His sentencing is scheduled for March 6.
