Woman Watched Porn Just Before Causing Fatal Crash, Police Say

A 44-year-old California woman is accused of watching pornography moments before causing a multi-vehicle crash that left a Utah man dead. 

Christine Chao was charged Tuesday with automobile homicide, a second-degree felony, in connection with the fatal June 12 crash, local outlet KUTV reported.

The three-vehicle collision occurred on I-15, where traffic was slowing for ongoing construction, according to charging documents cited by KUTV. Chao allegedly struck the rearmost of two cars slowing ahead, triggering a chain-reaction crash that sent all three vehicles off the road.

A passenger in the rear vehicle was hospitalized in critical condition and later died from his injuries. Local outlet KSL identified the victim as Scott LaVar Lichfield, a 66-year-old Utah man who was riding in the backseat of one of the vehicles. Lichfield suffered a fatal head injury in the crash. 

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Charging documents state that Chao told officers at the scene that she “was at fault.” 

“Traffic had been slowed due to ongoing construction. Two vehicles were traveling at a slower speed when a vehicle driven by the defendant, Christine Chao, struck the rearmost vehicle, causing it to crash into the vehicle ahead of it,” charging documents state. “Officers did not observe any brake marks on the road to indicate the defendant slowed before the crash.”

Police later seized and examined Chao’s phone after obtaining a warrant. Investigators said she had browsed a pornography website less than two minutes before the crash, according to charging documents.

“An examination of the phone pursuant to the warrant showed that (Chao) had accessed the website xvideos.com less than two minutes before the crash occurred. This website is commonly used to view pornographic videos,” charging documents state, according to KSL.

Lichfield had just celebrated his 39th wedding anniversary with his wife the day before, according to his obituary. The couple has five children.

“The very best thing he loved was just being with his children and grandchildren. He would see a grandchild and say to them, ‘Come give me a hug.’ He loved them so very much. He read to them, watched movies with them, played chess, and built legos. They all loved their Papa/Pop Pop,” the obituary stated.