A Los Angeles County woman was charged in connection with a deadly crash in Utah, which allegedly happened after she was watching pornography while driving.
Christine Chao, 44, of Rosemead, was charged with second-degree felony text messaging or email automobile homicide on Tuesday for the June 12 crash in Juab County, Utah, according to documents from Juab County's Fourth District Court.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers were called to the spot of the three-car crash, where traffic was slowing due to ongoing construction, the court documents said. Prosecutors said two cars were traveling "at a slower speed" when Chao's vehicle struck the rearmost car, causing it to crash into the vehicle in front of it.
"All three vehicles subsequently left the road due to the collision," the court documents said. "After the crash, the defendant told officers she was at fault."
Investigators seized Chao's phone and obtained a search warrant to examine it.
"Officers did not observe any brake marks on the road to indicate the defendant slowed before the crash," the document said. "An examination of the phone ... showed that the defendant had accessed the website ... less than two minutes before the crash occurred. This website is commonly used to view pornographic videos."
Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Richard Tinoco, one of several who were called to the scene, said that the passenger in the rearmost car was in critical condition after the crash, but was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Chao was ordered to appear in Utah for a November 17 court date, according to Juab County prosecutors.
