Driver Charged After Fatal Three-Vehicle Crash Near Levan
A driver, Christine Chao, has been charged with automobile homicide in a fatal three-vehicle crash on northbound I-15 near Levan, Juab County. Investigators allege Chao was viewing a pornography website on her phone less than two minutes before the collision…
Salt Lake City, UT, October 21, 2026 —
Christine Chao has been charged with automobile homicide following a fatal three-vehicle crash on northbound Interstate 15 near Levan in Juab County. The collision resulted in the death of Scott LaVar Lichfield.
Investigators allege that Chao was viewing a pornography website on her phone less than two minutes before the crash. The allegation concerns activity investigators say occurred shortly before the collision; the information provided does not detail how investigators determined when the phone was being used or what role, if any, that activity played in the crash.
The available information identifies the crash as involving three vehicles but does not provide the date, the identities of the other drivers, or whether anyone else was injured. It also does not describe the sequence of events leading to the collision or provide further details about the investigation.
Chao’s charge is automobile homicide. The information provided does not specify when the charge was filed, whether Chao has entered a plea, or what the next steps in the case may be. It also does not include a statement from Chao, her attorney, or investigators beyond the allegation about phone activity.
The allegation has not been described in the available information as a court finding. Further details about the case, including the circumstances of the crash and its procedural status, were not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Pat Reavy on www.deseret.com, see more information here.
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