A man is under investigation for suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and fleeing the scene of an accident. The accident resulted in a fiery, fatal crash, which would incriminate him for automobile homicide and four other felonies.

John Featherstone Bishop, Jr., a 35-year-old of Salt Lake City, was allegedly intoxicated around 8:45 p.m. on April 1, as he was speeding eastbound along Interstate 80 near 2400 East in his 2009 BMW. While he was driving he rear-ended a Mercedes-Benz SUV and rolled his car on the road.

According to the charges filed in the 3rd District Court, “Witnesses estimated the speed of Bishop’s vehicle to be over 100 mph, in a construction zone, with a posted speed limit of 55 mph.”

The accident injured a man and woman in the SUV. One suffered a broken vertebrae and the other suffered a concussion, broken ribs and whiplash.  John Bishop was able to climb out of his wrecked vehicle. There were five other passengers in his vehicle at the time and four were pulled from the burning wreckage. The fifth passenger, Jason L. Palmer, a 26-year-old of Salt Lake City, was thrown to the back seat of Bishop’s car and killed. Troopers believe it was because he was not wearing a seat belt.

Bishop was already on probation for another DUI accident in March of 2008 where he pleaded guilty. He was booked into Salt Lake County jail on April 14 in lieu of $250,000 cash-only bail. Immediately after the crash occurred, Bishop fled the scene and saught hel at nearby Intermountain Medical Center, where he claimed he suffered an assault. His blood alcohol content also read 0.13, well over the limit. Bishop was released and later arrested for violating terms of his probation by drinking and driving.

Since first reporting on this story, The Salt Lake Tribune reports that John Featherstone Bishop has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. For more on his sentencing, click here.

The exclusive purpose of this article is educational and it is not intended as either legal advice or a general solution to any specific legal problem. Corporate offices for Nave DWI Defense Attorneys are located at 432 N. Franklin Street, Suite 80, Syracuse, NY 13204; Telephone No.: 1-866-792-7800. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney Advertising.