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KNOLLS, Tooele County — Charges were filed Monday against a Brigham City man accused of being impaired when he hit and killed a California man standing outside his vehicle on I-80.
Shelby Kenneth Secrist, 43, is charged in 3rd District Court with negligently operating a vehicle resulting in death, a second-degree felony; DUI, a third-degree felony; marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors; and failing to stay in one lane, an infraction.
Just after 9 a.m. Saturday, a Mercedes Sprinter van pulling a trailer was stopped in the right shoulder off of eastbound I-80 near Knolls. The driver of the van, Maksim Vechirko, 36, from Sacramento, California, was standing outside his vehicle when a Hyundai Elantra driven by Secrist hit the trailer that was being pulled, and then the driver who had been inspecting the tires on his vehicle, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
According to a GoFundMe* page for Vechirko's family, he was on a route delivering fruit when the accident occurred. He leaves behind his pregnant wife and seven children.
"He was an extraordinary person who loved his family and brought joy to many people around him and those who he met," the fundraiser said. The fundraiser by Tuesday had raised more than $113,000 for funeral costs and for family necessities.
A trooper noted that while speaking with Secrist, "his speech and demeanor were sluggish. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy looking. His pupils were tightly constricted," a police booking affidavit states.
Marijuana was found in Secrist's pocket and he was arrested for investigation of DUI, according to UHP. A breath test did not show any signs of alcohol consumption, the affidavit says.
"During the on-scene investigation, agents located more drugs and paraphernalia in the vehicle. They also located an open container (flask) of alcohol that had alcohol in it," the affidavit alleges, while noting that eight bottles of alcohol were found in the trunk. "Seven of the large bottles of alcohol were sealed while the eighth bottle was unsealed and missing some of its contents."
Secrist was previously convicted of DUI in another state, according to UHP.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
