Pregnant Utah mom killed by suspected drunk driver

SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) — A pregnant Salt Lake woman, who had just celebrated her 24th birthday the day before, was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver on Tuesday.
Libbie Allan was walking on the sidewalk with her 2-year-old daughter near 1700 South and 900 East about 11:30 a.m. when a vehicle went over the curb and hit them, according to Salt Lake City police. The vehicle continued driving through a front yard and knocked over a fence before driving away, according to police.
When police later arrested Jack Keith Archibald, 53, of West Valley City, he told officers he “was scared and fled the scene,” according to a police booking affidavit.
Officers searching the area found the vehicle abandoned a short time later near the Forest Dale Golf Course, 2375 S. 900 East. Not far from there, the driver was found hiding in a shed.
“Officers located (Archibald) when he peeked out and walked out of the shed,” the affidavit states.
The arresting officers noted that the man “smelled very strongly of an alcoholic beverage,” according to a statement from police. Just before 3 p.m. — about 3 1/2 hours after the crash — Archibald’s blood-alcohol was measured at 0.136%, or nearly three times the legal limit, according to the affidavit. A second test conducted just after 4 p.m. measured Archibald’s blood-alcohol level at 0.108%, or twice the legal limit.
Archibald, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of automobile homicide, two counts of DUI causing injury, and two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or serious injury.
Allan was taken to a local hospital where she died as a result of her injuries. Her 2-year-old daughter, Clara, was initially listed in extremely critical condition but later upgraded to critical, according to the affidavit. A GoFundMe page set up to raise funeral and medical expenses states that Clara is still “fighting for her life.”
Allan was five months pregnant at the time of the crash, the fundraising page states.
“She was the most genuine soul, who absolutely radiated pure love. Down to earth, she was the epitome of authenticity,” it states.
Allan, who was married in 2019, was the oldest of 15 children.
“Libbie and Charles, like every young couple, were doing everything they could to make ends meet, provide for their daughter and their growing family. This was the last thing anyone expected,” organizers wrote on the GoFundMe campaign.
Allan was one of three people killed in three separate auto-pedestrian crashes in Utah on Tuesday, all within an hour of each other.
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Source: eastidahonews.com