A routine FedEx run on Interstate 80 turned deadly in an instant, and now a Utah truck driver is facing a felony homicide charge in Wyoming.
Prosecutors say 63-year-old Chris Shepherd of West Jordan, Utah, was behind the wheel of a FedEx delivery truck on April 22 when it drifted onto the shoulder near mile marker 112 in Sweetwater County and slammed into a disabled pickup. One man was killed, another was left with catastrophic injuries, and Shepherd is now charged with aggravated homicide by vehicle. He was arrested on a warrant and is scheduled to appear in Sweetwater County Circuit Court on Wednesday.
Truck Cam Allegedly Shows Deadly Drift Onto Shoulder
According to a charging affidavit, the commercial truck's internal cameras captured the entire crash sequence. The video allegedly shows the FedEx rig veering out of its lane onto the shoulder and striking a GMC pickup that had been pulled over with mechanical trouble.
Two men, Brandon Summers and Richard Royse, were outside the pickup checking transmission fluid and working on the driver-side door when the FedEx truck plowed into the flatbed, overriding the rear of the vehicle and launching the delivery truck forward. Summers was crushed and killed, and Royse suffered devastating leg injuries, court records state.
The affidavit also notes that, inside the cab, Shepherd appeared to be “bouncing up and down in the seat” just before impact. The document does not explain why the truck left its lane, and investigators have not publicly identified a cause, as reported by Cowboy State Daily.
Roadside Fix Turns Into Worst-Case Scenario
The crash is a grim example of what safety advocates warn about every time a car dies on a high-speed highway. Working on a vehicle just feet from traffic leaves almost no margin for error.
Guidance from AAA urges drivers to pull as far off the roadway as possible, flip on hazard lights, and wait for professional assistance instead of trying to handle repairs themselves alongside fast-moving traffic. The advice is simple, but incidents like this show how quickly a roadside fix can turn tragic.
Felony Counts, Six-Figure Bond And Tight Restrictions
Shepherd is charged with aggravated homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault and battery, and failure to maintain a single lane. His bond is set at $100,000 cash or surety, and court records say he must stay in Sweetwater County, avoid alcohol, give up any firearms, and have no contact with the surviving victim if he is released.
Under Wyoming law, aggravated homicide by vehicle is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine, according to UniCourt, which publishes state statute W.S. § 6-2-106. The aggravated assault and battery charge can carry up to 10 years in prison, and the lane violation is punishable by a smaller fine.
Court records say Shepherd was arrested the Friday after the crash, has asked for a public defender, and is due for a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Sweetwater County Circuit Court, according to Cowboy State Daily.
What Comes Next In The Case
At the preliminary hearing, prosecutors will lay out their evidence, and a judge will decide whether there is probable cause to send the case to district court for trial. Investigators have not publicly disclosed why the FedEx truck left its travel lane, and the case remains under active investigation.
Additional details are expected to surface through court filings and testimony as the case moves forward.
