ST. GEORGE — A St. George man faces a possible felony DUI charge after a rollover on Red Hills Parkway left one passenger seriously injured, police said.
The driver, 21-year-old Jefferson Donaldo Minjagos-Solares of St. George, was arrested and booked into jail in Washington County late Sunday night. He faces a third-degree felony count of negligently operating a vehicle with injury and having two-plus DUIs in the last 10 years. He also faces one misdemeanor count of DUI and one count of driving without a license.
The charges stem from a single-vehicle rollover on Red Hills Parkway that occurred just before 6 p.m. on Sunday, as previously reported by St. George News.
Police said the driver of a white Ford F150, identified as Solares, was headed eastbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and veered into the median, “going airborne” before rolling to a stop. The truck also contained one passenger.
St. George Police Sgt. Bryan Hendrix told St. George News the crash left the driver trapped, and he had to be extricated by firefighters. He was then transported to St. George Regional Hospital.
Despite being secured by a seat belt, the passenger suffered a partial ejection during the crash, police said.
According to the affidavit, the passenger was removed from the truck by emergency personnel and transported with serious bodily injuries to the hospital.
Hospital staff reportedly told investigators the passenger’s injuries indicated a possible brain bleed, and he was admitted to the hospital for further treatment.
First responders noted the strong smell of alcohol coming from the driver during the extrication process, investigators say. An open beer bottle was found in the vehicle, and the passenger allegedly told police that he and the driver had been drinking beer prior to the crash.
No other vehicles were involved in the incident, and the truck was destroyed in the crash.
Following Solares’ arrest, the case is currently being reviewed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office, and formal charges have yet to be filed. The driver remains in jail without bail.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
St. George News Reporter Bridger Palmer contributed to this report.
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