Utah man charged after fleeing crash with dying uncle inside

SALT LAKE CITY – A man who police say ran away from a crash as his uncle was dying inside the car has been charged with multiple felonies.

Francisco Jesus Madrid, 30, has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death and obstruction of justice, charging documents show.

Arresting documents state that on March 18, officers responded to a single-vehicle crash at 5730 South 1300 East in Salt Lake County.

When officers arrived, they found a white Nissan Altima that had struck a pole while driving southbound on 1300 East.

Police said Madrid, who was behind the wheel of the Altima, ran away from the crash, leaving his uncle, Juan Rodriguez, inside the car.

Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to charging documents.

A medical examiner later determined that Rodriguez died due to blunt force injuries he suffered in the crash.

Police said that Madrid then took a taxi to a motel located at 176 West 600 South.

Officers later responded to the motel and reviewed video from the motel’s surveillance cameras, which showed Madrid leaving a motel room with a freshly shaven head and face.

Charging documents said that detectives later saw Madrid get onto a Trax train near 400 S. Main Street. Madrid was later found on the train and taken into custody.

Madrid told police that his uncle “Johnny”, who was killed in the crash, was his “best friend” and that he “wanted to know if his family knew what had done and if they were mad at him,” charging documents said.