Man sentenced for fatal 2022 drunk driving crash that killed passenger

Austin Eric Christensen was sentenced Wednesday by District Judge Bruce Pickett. | Kaitlyn Hart, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS – A 25-year-old man was sent to a biker's home Wednesday, more than two years after a 2022 rollover crash that killed his friend.

District Judge Bruce Pickett sentenced Austin Eric Christensen to a minimum of three years and a maximum of 12 years in prison for a drunken driving accident that resulted in the death of his passenger and friend, Isaac Flores, 24 years old. Pickett subsequently retained jurisdiction, meaning Christensen will complete a year-long treatment program in prison. Once the program is completed, Pickett will decide whether to send him back to prison for his sentence or put him back on probation.

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Christensen's driver's license was suspended for one year and he will have to install an interlock device on his car for two years, both after he completes his course. He will also have to pay $1,000 in fines and court costs.

After initially pleading not guilty, Christensen signed a plea deal in April, agreeing to plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter regarding Flores' death, in exchange for the prosecution agreeing to recommend maintaining jurisdiction during sentencing.

Sentencing

At sentencing, Christensen's attorney, Allen Browning, argued that his client should be placed on a rider because of the support of the victim's family and because he had no criminal history.

“Mr. Christensen, of course, feels horrible about what he did that night. They had both been drinking. He got behind the wheel and lost control of his car. The car skidded on the road, hit a tree and his best friend, Isaac Flores, died because of it,” Browning said. “It was extremely difficult for him to understand what happened. Mr. Flores' family has been very emotionally supportive at this time.

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Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal also argued that Christensen should be placed on a rider, but with an underlying sentence of three to 12 years in prison due to the seriousness of the crime and the fact that Flores had lost the life.

“This is a significant example of how justice is not something we can approach categorically. I mean, those are bad facts. We have a high blood alcohol level, we have a death. The blood alcohol level came back to .204,” Neal said. “We have a family that is grieving the loss of a child, but yet restoring their sense of justice – this has nothing to do with retaliation, this has nothing to do with some sort of harsh punishment for that it feels like justice. had been served.

Christensen spoke briefly about Flores to the judge, describing him as someone everyone wanted to be friends with.

“Isaac was an extraordinary person. He had a positive impact on everyone around him. Everyone loved him. Everyone wanted to be his friend,” Christensen said. “He was definitely a positive member of the community, and I think it’s an absolute tragedy that so many people won’t be able to enjoy that now.”

He went on to take responsibility for his actions and thank Flores' family for their support.

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“I understand that drinking and driving is a choice, and it is a choice I made and one that haunts me every day. He has an amazing family, they are some of the best people I have met. They actually made no judgment against me,” Christensen said. “They didn't even say it was necessary to apologize, because they weren't angry with me. I'm just happy now to be in a position where I can satisfy the community and move forward.

Pickett described his reasoning for following the plea agreement, saying that without the mitigating factors of a guilty plea and no criminal history, Christensen would be serving prison time, not a rider.

“Frankly, I think these are the most difficult cases that we handle as a justice system. Because in this case, Mr. Christensen committed a horrible crime. Mr. Flores died because of your actions and what happened,” Pickett said. “However, you are not a bad person.”

Pickett then read the facts of the case, describing the accident scene, officers finding empty Bud Light bottles in and near the truck, as well as evidence of speeding and icy weather conditions, the all leading to Flores' death.

“It’s a horrible scene,” Pickett said. “Unfortunately, Mr. Flores has passed away. We're just lucky there aren't more of them. We're lucky there weren't any kids walking in the road, we're lucky no other drivers were hit. When we talk about protecting society, this is exactly what we are talking about. When I read this, without the plea deal and other mitigating factors, you wouldn't do jail time – you would do jail time.

Background

On January 16, 2022, around 5 a.m., an Idaho Falls police officer was called to a rollover crash on Snake River Parkway in Idaho Falls after the driver, Christensen, called 911 to say his passenger was injured and unconscious.

According to court documents, officers found a silver, four-door 2008 Toyota Tacoma east of the parkway in a grass field and noticed debris from the truck and nearby trees scattered along the road.

The front passenger, identified as Flores, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers allegedly found cans of Bud Light on the ground and in the truck. Upon investigation, officers said the truck was heading north on Snake River Parkway when it left its lane and headed toward the center divider of the highway.

The side tires struck the raised bulkhead and traveled approximately 183 feet before striking a tree.

The tree then broke and landed on the front driver's side of the truck, above the headlights. The truck continued to travel for 48 feet before returning to the northbound lane.

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When Christensen turned the steering wheel back toward the direction of the road, the tires separated from the rim, causing the driver's side wheels to “dig into the road surface.”

This caused the truck to spin and hit a “hard, frozen mixture of ice and snow.” This impact caused the truck to “leave the ground and begin rolling through the air.” While in the air, the truck hit another tree, shattering it at ground level.

The truck then landed on its passenger side, on top of a fire hydrant, which struck the rear passenger door and the rear of the cab.

The truck then took off again after exiting the fire hydrant and continued to roll, eventually coming to rest facing east, 43 feet from the fire hydrant. According to police reports, Christensen and Flores were wearing seat belts during the crash.

On Jan. 17, the officer contacted Christensen who told him that he and Flores met at a bar, went to the second bar and then to a friend's house.

Christensen was reportedly driving Flores back to his friend's house when the rollover occurred. Court documents indicate Christensen was uninjured other than some minor scratches and cuts to his left hand.

Court records show Christensen was arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on $75,000 bail. He posted bond and was released the same day.

Neal, the prosecutor, said delays in the investigation led to a longer than usual delay between the accident and the arrest.