Jeremy Navanick Obituary, Death; – Police apprehended a second driver traveling the wrong way in Salt Lake City just hours after a wrong-way collision resulted in the deaths of two 18-year-olds on I-15.
Jeremy Navanick, 25, was operating his vehicle on 600 South on Saturday when law enforcement reported that he suddenly executed a U-turn and proceeded westbound in the eastbound lanes, heading towards Interstate 15.
Authorities successfully halted his vehicle without any complications.
The officer noted a strong odor of alcohol and observed that Navanick exhibited droopy eyelids, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech.
After he complied with sobriety tests, Navanick was taken into custody shortly after 3:50 a.m. Police indicated that he later registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .18%, which is significantly higher than Utah’s legal limit of .05% BAC.
The freeway was closed at that time due to a different incident involving a wrong-way driver who had entered I-15 from 600 South approximately two hours earlier.
That vehicle was involved in a crash that resulted in the deaths of two 18-year-olds who were driving north in another car. The driver, identified as Jose Jimenez, 21, was also arrested and is facing charges for driving under the influence. Additionally, Jimenez faces charges of automobile homicide due to the fatalities.
Although the crash and the traffic stop share several similarities, police have not disclosed any connections between the two incidents.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, crashes related to alcohol are 15 times more likely to result in fatalities and account for 20% of all traffic deaths in Utah.
From 2020 to 2024, there were over 4,400 alcohol-related crashes in Utah, with 274 of those resulting in death.
Utah is currently running a media campaign aimed at preventing DUIs in the state. Officials have also intensified DUI enforcement across the state.
“A DUI can swiftly transform your celebrations into a moment of distress and regret,” stated DPS officials. “Law enforcement maintains a zero-tolerance policy for individuals driving under any form of impairment.”
