Carbon County man pleads guilty to fatal DUI crash

An East Carbon man has pleaded guilty to driving drunk and causing a crash that killed two Sandy women last year.

Darin Scott Hawkinson, 47, entered guilty pleas Friday to two counts of negligent automobile homicide in connection with the September 2011 deaths of Sharlene Atkinson, 64, and Lynnette Hulse, 63.

As part of a plea deal, both counts were reduced from second-degree felonies to third-degree felonies. A misdemeanor speeding charge was dismissed.

Hawkinson faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 13 before 7th District Judge George Harmond.

According to the charges against him, Hawkinson was driving under the influence on U.S. Highway 6 near Price on the afternoon of Sept. 23, 2011, when he swerved in to oncoming traffic. Hawkinson's car hit an eastbound car, pushing it into a semi truck's path.

Atkinson and Hulse were sitting in the back of the car that was pushed into the truck's path.

afalk@sltrib.com