Police say Casper’s husband was drunk when he plowed…

CASPER. A 23-year-old Casper man has been charged after he allegedly drove his pickup truck through a stop sign on a south Casper neighborhood Sunday night while intoxicated and struck a Honda carrying three teenagers, sending all three to the hospital.

Jacob Klinger appeared in Casper County District Court Monday from jail via video to face three felony charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with serious bodily injury.

Police were called to the intersection of East 21st Street and South Beverly Street at about 10:45 p.m. Sunday to find a two-car crash with a gold Honda engine compartment crushed by a pickup truck’s windshield, court documents said. There were three teenagers aged 14 to 17 in the Honda.

Klinger was pulling his unconscious 49-year-old mother out of his pickup truck when police arrived. She was taken to Banner Medical Center Wyoming by EMS, the court affidavit said.

What happened?

Court documents show the teenage driver of the Honda told police she was eastbound on 21st Street, stopped at the intersection and began to turn north on Beverly when a truck headed westbound on 21st Street failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into her car.

Klinger initially told police he didn’t have anything to drink and that he, his mother and a 21-year-old female passenger were returning home from a Halloween party.

The officer who interviewed Klinger smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred, the affidavit said.

Klinger was asked to perform a field sobriety test, which showed signs of impairment, including his inability to maintain his balance and follow instructions.

“Jacob then admitted to drinking a pitcher of Coors Light with his mother at Moonlight Liquors approximately 5 minutes prior to the accident,” the affidavit states.

Investigators concluded that Klinger’s pickup truck was traveling 40 to 50 mph in a 30 mph zone and failed to yield at the intersection.

“Furthermore, crash investigators did not observe any indication that the Chevrolet truck attempted to brake prior to the collision,” the affidavit states. The vehicles were located approximately 20 to 30 feet west of the intersection of Beverly and 21st.

Multiple injuries

Klinger’s mother suffered head and facial injuries. The Honda driver suffered a broken nose and a fractured vertebra in his lower back, the 17-year-old Honda passenger required head braces and a concussion, and a 14-year-old girl suffered a broken collarbone, the statement said.

Appearing before Judge Kevin Tagheri in Casper District Court on Monday, Klinger told the judge he understood the charges against him.

Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen said Klinger has several prior charges, including a 2022 drug charge, a 2020 driving under the influence charge and a prior reckless driving charge.

He was also driving with a suspended license on Sunday, according to court documents.

Judge Tagheri set bail at $50,000. Klinger remains in the Natrona County Jail.

Each charge of driving while intoxicated causing serious injury carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $2,000 to $5,000.

Dale Killingback can be reached at the address [email protected].