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PREVENTABLE DRUG TRAGEDY MOURNED IN UTAH
Utah Police Say Driver In Orem Crash Had Longtime Problem
OREM, Utah - For years, Utah County law enforcement officers had been trying to stop 29-year-old Bryce Gregory Collings before he could hurt anyone with his penchant for driving under the influence of drugs.
But in the early morning hours of April 11 on the streets of Orem, Utah their efforts apparently failed.
According to Utah police, 59-year-old Lynne Denny of Orem, Utah was driving east on 800 North, unaware that the maroon car heading straight at her was being driven by a man whom court records show had been convicted at least eight times for drug possession and driving under the influence of drugs.
Records also show that time and time again, judges in Utah County spared Collings prison time.
Utah police said Denny died instantly when the car driven by Collings crossed into her lane and struck her vehicle head on.
More than three months later, prosecutors with the Utah County Attorney's Office filed felony charges this week against Collings for the April incident. According to Orem, Utah police, Collings was arrested Thursday morning at his Orem home, facing two second-degree felony counts of automobile homicide and drug possession.
But some local Utah law enforcement officials, as many have said before about drunken driving cases, are calling the charges too little, too late. They say the justice system not only failed Denny and her family but Collings as well.
"They're missing the big picture here," said Sgt. George Alexanderson of the Utah County Fugitive Apprehension Team. He believes judges, in particular, are treating drug addicts as if theirs is a personal problem and not a threat to the Utah community.
For their part, Utah prosecutors point to overcrowded conditions in Utah jails and Utah prisons and the priority given to dealing with other serious crimes.
A Troubled Man
Before that tragic April day, Utah police knew Collings to be a troubled young man; a good kid all around, but with a serious drug habit.
"I actually arrested him three times in about a three-month period," said Sgt. Kris Hendrickson with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force. The first time was in Orem, when Hendrickson said he pulled Collings over and found a pocket full of meth. The next week Collings turned up in American Fork. "He was trying to get rid of his dope at the time and he swallowed it," Hendrickson said. Two weeks later Collings turned up again in American Fork, driving a car while high on drugs and a meth pipe sticking out of his pants pocket.
Booking logs at the Utah County Jail show that since 1994, Collings had been booked, mostly for investigation of driving under the influence of drugs, at least 25 times. Utah Court records show that Collings' adult criminal history began five months after his 18th birthday when he was sentenced to serve 15 days in jail for unlawful purchase of alcohol by a minor. In September 1994 Collings was given 26 days in jail and 100 hours of community service for drug dealing.
In 1996 Collings was charged with felony drug possession, DUI-drugs and driving on a suspended license. In a plea bargain struck with Utah prosecutors, the DUI and license charges were dropped. He was ordered to serve 90 days in jail with work release. He would violate his probation several times due to other drug possession arrests. Between 1998 and 2000 Collings would face more felony counts of dug possession.
It wasn't until 2001 that a Utah 4th District judge threatened Collings with prison time for a felony, engaging in a criminal enterprise, obstructing justice, giving false information to police and possessing drug paraphernalia. Utah court records show the judge stayed the prison time and ordered him to serve 270 days in jail, plus 36 months on probation. In November 2001, Collings was sent to jail, police said, but not for long.
Even at the time of April's fatal accident, Collings had only been out for a few weeks.
Angry Lawmen
Police believe Denny's death was a tragedy that could have been avoided and are angry that Utah judges and prosecutors have not taken drug users as a serious threat to the Utah community.
"When they said it was Bryce Collings," Hendrickson said, "I said 'What! What the hell was he doing out of jail, what was he doing driving again?' "
Unfortunately, Utah police say drug users like Collings are the rule rather than the exception. "It's a daily cycle, it happens in Utah County daily," Hendrickson said. But once a drug user is arrested, the individual's fate depends upon what charges Utah prosecutors file and ultimately what sentence a Utah judge imposes.
Deputy David Knowles of the sheriff's Fugitive Apprehension Team said Collings' case is an example where he believes prosecutors aren't taking drug cases seriously enough.
"They just see them as just 'druggies,' " Knowles said, and fail to realize that about 90 percent of thefts, robberies and other crimes are associated with drug users.
Hendrickson said he believes the justice system also failed Collings himself.
"He's a screwed-up kid, but he comes from a good family. He has a brother that is in local law enforcement, and I tell you, it's really tearing the family apart," he said.
Since the accident, Collings managed to recover from internal injuries he suffered in the crash, only to be arrested and charged again with driving under the influence of drugs, drug dealing and drug possession before his arrest.
When asked why there was such a delay in filing charges in the head-on collision, Deputy Utah County Attorney David Sturgill said they were waiting for a toxicology test to determine if Collings was indeed under the influence.
"What we were trying to determine is if this was a horrible accident or something else," Sturgill said. Shortly before the arrest warrant was served, Sturgill said toxicology tests came back and showed that Collings apparently had high levels of methamphetamine in his blood the day of the accident.
Higher Priorities
Responding to the officers' comments, Sherry Ragan, Utah County attorney criminal division chief, said her office is also frustrated with the sobering realities of overcrowded jails and prisons in Utah.
"We certainly share some of the same frustrations," Ragan said, speaking on behalf of county attorney Kay Bryson, who is on vacation. "A lot of times we would certainly like to see stiffer sentences."
However, Ragan believes Utah County judges are simply trying to deal with a fact that prison sentences for drug addicts are low on the state prison's priority lists as inmates to be held in overcrowded Utah facilities.
"Priority is given to more serious crimes, such as murder and child sex abuse," she said.
Collings is expected to appear in 4th District Court of Utah next week to face the automobile homicide charge.
Utah Police Say Driver In Orem Crash Had Longtime Problem
OREM, Utah - For years, Utah County law enforcement officers had been trying to stop 29-year-old Bryce Gregory Collings before he could hurt anyone with his penchant for driving under the influence of drugs.
But in the early morning hours of April 11 on the streets of Orem, Utah their efforts apparently failed.
According to Utah police, 59-year-old Lynne Denny of Orem, Utah was driving east on 800 North, unaware that the maroon car heading straight at her was being driven by a man whom court records show had been convicted at least eight times for drug possession and driving under the influence of drugs.
Records also show that time and time again, judges in Utah County spared Collings prison time.
Utah police said Denny died instantly when the car driven by Collings crossed into her lane and struck her vehicle head on.
More than three months later, prosecutors with the Utah County Attorney's Office filed felony charges this week against Collings for the April incident. According to Orem, Utah police, Collings was arrested Thursday morning at his Orem home, facing two second-degree felony counts of automobile homicide and drug possession.
But some local Utah law enforcement officials, as many have said before about drunken driving cases, are calling the charges too little, too late. They say the justice system not only failed Denny and her family but Collings as well.
"They're missing the big picture here," said Sgt. George Alexanderson of the Utah County Fugitive Apprehension Team. He believes judges, in particular, are treating drug addicts as if theirs is a personal problem and not a threat to the Utah community.
For their part, Utah prosecutors point to overcrowded conditions in Utah jails and Utah prisons and the priority given to dealing with other serious crimes.
A Troubled Man
Before that tragic April day, Utah police knew Collings to be a troubled young man; a good kid all around, but with a serious drug habit.
"I actually arrested him three times in about a three-month period," said Sgt. Kris Hendrickson with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force. The first time was in Orem, when Hendrickson said he pulled Collings over and found a pocket full of meth. The next week Collings turned up in American Fork. "He was trying to get rid of his dope at the time and he swallowed it," Hendrickson said. Two weeks later Collings turned up again in American Fork, driving a car while high on drugs and a meth pipe sticking out of his pants pocket.
Booking logs at the Utah County Jail show that since 1994, Collings had been booked, mostly for investigation of driving under the influence of drugs, at least 25 times. Utah Court records show that Collings' adult criminal history began five months after his 18th birthday when he was sentenced to serve 15 days in jail for unlawful purchase of alcohol by a minor. In September 1994 Collings was given 26 days in jail and 100 hours of community service for drug dealing.
In 1996 Collings was charged with felony drug possession, DUI-drugs and driving on a suspended license. In a plea bargain struck with Utah prosecutors, the DUI and license charges were dropped. He was ordered to serve 90 days in jail with work release. He would violate his probation several times due to other drug possession arrests. Between 1998 and 2000 Collings would face more felony counts of dug possession.
It wasn't until 2001 that a Utah 4th District judge threatened Collings with prison time for a felony, engaging in a criminal enterprise, obstructing justice, giving false information to police and possessing drug paraphernalia. Utah court records show the judge stayed the prison time and ordered him to serve 270 days in jail, plus 36 months on probation. In November 2001, Collings was sent to jail, police said, but not for long.
Even at the time of April's fatal accident, Collings had only been out for a few weeks.
Angry Lawmen
Police believe Denny's death was a tragedy that could have been avoided and are angry that Utah judges and prosecutors have not taken drug users as a serious threat to the Utah community.
"When they said it was Bryce Collings," Hendrickson said, "I said 'What! What the hell was he doing out of jail, what was he doing driving again?' "
Unfortunately, Utah police say drug users like Collings are the rule rather than the exception. "It's a daily cycle, it happens in Utah County daily," Hendrickson said. But once a drug user is arrested, the individual's fate depends upon what charges Utah prosecutors file and ultimately what sentence a Utah judge imposes.
Deputy David Knowles of the sheriff's Fugitive Apprehension Team said Collings' case is an example where he believes prosecutors aren't taking drug cases seriously enough.
"They just see them as just 'druggies,' " Knowles said, and fail to realize that about 90 percent of thefts, robberies and other crimes are associated with drug users.
Hendrickson said he believes the justice system also failed Collings himself.
"He's a screwed-up kid, but he comes from a good family. He has a brother that is in local law enforcement, and I tell you, it's really tearing the family apart," he said.
Since the accident, Collings managed to recover from internal injuries he suffered in the crash, only to be arrested and charged again with driving under the influence of drugs, drug dealing and drug possession before his arrest.
When asked why there was such a delay in filing charges in the head-on collision, Deputy Utah County Attorney David Sturgill said they were waiting for a toxicology test to determine if Collings was indeed under the influence.
"What we were trying to determine is if this was a horrible accident or something else," Sturgill said. Shortly before the arrest warrant was served, Sturgill said toxicology tests came back and showed that Collings apparently had high levels of methamphetamine in his blood the day of the accident.
Higher Priorities
Responding to the officers' comments, Sherry Ragan, Utah County attorney criminal division chief, said her office is also frustrated with the sobering realities of overcrowded jails and prisons in Utah.
"We certainly share some of the same frustrations," Ragan said, speaking on behalf of county attorney Kay Bryson, who is on vacation. "A lot of times we would certainly like to see stiffer sentences."
However, Ragan believes Utah County judges are simply trying to deal with a fact that prison sentences for drug addicts are low on the state prison's priority lists as inmates to be held in overcrowded Utah facilities.
"Priority is given to more serious crimes, such as murder and child sex abuse," she said.
Collings is expected to appear in 4th District Court of Utah next week to face the automobile homicide charge.
