Murray man charged with manslaughter in fatal 2025 crash

MURRAY — A driver tied to a fatal crash in Murray last year is now facing criminal charges.Joshua W. Griffin, 47, of Murray, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with manslaughter or in the alternative automobile homicide, a second-degree felony; negligently operating a vehicle resulting in serious injury, a third-degree felony; three counts of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, four counts of reckless endangerment and causing property damage, class A misdemeanors; reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor; and speeding, an infraction.On April 15, 2025, police responded to a four-car crash at the intersection of 700 West and Winchester Street."Witnesses stated that a Toyota Tacoma was traveling west on Winchester at a high rate of speed when it struck the rear of the gold Hyundai that was stopped at the red light. The impact caused the gold Hyundai to travel into the intersection and strike a blue Hyundai that was in the middle of the intersection waiting to turn east on Winchester. The Toyota continued through the intersection where it struck a Jeep that was facing east waiting to turn north on 700 West before crashing through a fence on the southwest corner," according to charging documents.Two witnesses described the Tacoma as "barreling" through the intersection, and investigators determined the vehicle was going 56 mph in a 30 mph zone, the charges state.Ila J. Luke, 74 — the passenger in the gold Hyundai — was killed, and her husband, William Luke, was hospitalized.The driver of the Toyota, Griffin, "denied having any alcohol or drugs in his system and stated that he took medication this morning for his epilepsy" because he had "suffered a traumatic brain injury about 10 years prior that brought on the epileptic seizures," according to the charges. "Griffin further stated that he only remembered coming up to the intersection and then turning into a fence."Griffin's blood was tested and evidence of THC was found, the charges state. Furthermore, the Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed that "Griffin had never reported his seizures and medication" on his driver's license application and had not submitted any reports from a health care professional that "they were currently treating him and monitoring his epilepsy."Medical records indicate that on May 2, 2025, a few weeks after the crash, "Griffin had reported that he was using marijuana daily and that