In a tragic incident in Sandy, Utah, 55-year-old Zoe Carisa Blankenstein has been charged with several offenses following a fatal accident that took the life of 40-year-old Josh Perry, according to KUTV. The crash occurred on January 15 at around 7 p.m. near 1000 East and 11000 South. Charges against Blankenstein include automobile homicide, a second-degree felony, and other misdemeanors related to interference with law enforcement and consuming alcohol while driving.
According to the affidavit obtained by KSL, Perry was using the crosswalk when Blankenstein, reportedly six times over the legal alcohol limit, ran a stop sign and struck him. He was subsequently thrown onto another vehicle, which was stopped at the time, and medical personnel later confirmed the severity of his injuries, including a nonrecoverable traumatic brain injury. Blankenstein's blood alcohol level was recorded at a staggering 0.309%, notably exceeding Utah's legal limit of 0.05%.
The Sandy City Police Department found Blankenstein in a damaged Ford Escape, who claimed the light had turned green and that the pedestrian "came out of nowhere," even though the intersection where the incident occurred was controlled by stop signs and had no traffic signals, as described in detail by ABC4. Her subsequent actions included resisting arrest and exhibiting clear signs of intoxication, such as slurred speech and difficulty maintaining balance.
During her interaction with the officers, Blankenstein had not only shown signs of severe impairment but also appeared to lack any sense of concern or remorse for the victim; instead, she continued to insist perplexingly that she was responding to a green arrow and located on a completely different street, officers who arrived at the scene detected the scent of alcohol and found that Blankenstein had difficulty walking and standing, but she initially refused a sobriety test and even accidentally urinated during the arrest process. The police later found an open container with an amber-colored liquid that smelled like beer in the vehicle, adding another layer to the already distressing scene. Her assertion that she had only one beer appears to be belied by the toxicology report.
