WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A 15-year-old who was arrested for driving a stolen car and crashing into a West Valley City home, killing a man, will be charged as an adult.
Blayden Alexander Bangert, 15, was charged with murder, a first-degree felony, theft, a second-degree felony and failure to respond to officers, a third-degree felony.
Previously, the teen's identity was not disclosed due to his age, however, as he will be charged as an adult, he was named in court documents.
The charges stem from a fatal incident in May 2023 that resulted in the death of Adrian Hernandez-Rodriguez, a bystander who lived nearby.
FOX 13 News previously reported the teen driver, Bangert, initially stole a Honda CR-V from the Salt Lake City International Airport a few days before.
Court documents detail two suspects, one of whom was Bangert, combed through the economy lot at the airport, trying door handles of multiple cars before stealing the Honda, jumping the curb, ramming the exit gate with the pay booths and leaving the airport.
A few days later, police spotted the Honda in West Valley City with three individuals, including Bangert, inside.
Police told FOX 13 News at the time of the incident that officers never initiated a pursuit, but an unmarked police car followed the stolen car from a distance.
The group tried to evade officers by driving through a West Valley City neighborhood and even trying to abandon the car, court documents detail. When the teens exited the car, officers were able to take two of the teens, a 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old female into custody.
"Officers approached the three occupants, at which time Bangert returned to the driver’s seat and headed east, side-swiping an unmarked police vehicle and running over a set of spike strips while accelerating," documents state.
After running over the spike strips, which impacted all four tires, the car went around a blind corner going over 70 miles per hour in a residential area and hitting a low curb, which launched the car into the air, documents state.
"Investigators confirmed that Bangert was at 99% full throttle when he went airborne, traveling 70 feet before landing in the front yard of a residence after striking the top of a four-foot fence," documents state. "Bangert struck victim Adrian Hernandez Rodriguez, who was standing in front of the home speaking to a resident, before crashing through the front and side of the home, through a chain link fence, striking two vehicles in the neighboring driveway, and a gas line."
It took officers 25 minutes to locate Hernandez-Rodriguez, who was pronounced deceased at the scene when he was found under a large pile of debris.
After the crash, officers took Bangert into custody and he was treated for a broken hip at the hospital.
Initially, Bangert was booked into juvenile detention but on Tuesday, his case was transferred to District Court and he will be charged as an adult.
