Bride is killed in crash with a wrong-way driver on Utah highway on her wedding night
- Angelica Dhondup, 26, called her sister after the accident and told her she was hurt badly and she couldn't breathe
- Manaure Gonzales-Rea was driving southbound in the northbound lanes near Salt Lake City when he smashed into the mother of three
- The alleged drunk driver stole a truck from a witness who helped him out of his car after the crash and then fled the scene.
- The unidentified suspect was chased down by cops and hit with multiple charges, including vehicular homicide
- Dhondup's 20-year-old cousin was in the passenger's seat when car was hit but avoided serious injury
Angelica Dhondup, 26, was still wearing the purple dress she had chosen for her reception when she was struck by a drunk driver going the wrong way on a Utah highway. Dhondup had been dropping off presents and was on her way back to the reception
A new bride was killed just hours after saying her wedding vows as an alleged drunk driver heading the wrong-way slammed into the mother of three on a Salt Lake City highway Friday.
Angelica Dhondup, 26, was still wearing the purple dress she had chosen for her reception when she was struck by Manaure Gonzalez-Rea, 36, near 1700 South on Interstate 15, police said.
She was driving her Toyota Corolla back to her reception after heading home to drop off presents.
Dhondup's 20-year-old cousin was in the passenger's seat at the time of the accident but recovered from her injuries and was discharged from the hospital on Saturday. It is unclear if the women were wearing seatbelts.
The bride made a last call to her sister after the accident, around 1am.
'She called her and told her that she got into a wreck and she was hurt bad and she couldn't breathe,' Dhondup's best friend, Tyler Craft, said.
Dhondup was driving with her 20-year-old cousin who suffered minor injures and was discharged from the hospital on Saturday. It is unclear if the women were wearing seatbelts
Dhondup, pictured with her unidentified new husband (right), had married her high school sweetheart just hours before the accident. He is now a single father to three children
Gonzalez-Rea was driving his Tacoma truck southbound in the northbound lanes when he smashed into Dhondup.
He was helped out of his truck by a witness, who placed him in his own truck, but Gonzales-Rea then stole the witness' vehicle and fled the scene.
Cops caught up to him about 15 miles away near the Redwood Road exit on Interstate 80.
He had 'an overwhelming odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath in an open-air environment,' according to the police report.
Gonzales-Rea was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on Friday and charged with automobile homicide, theft, failure to remain at an accident involving death, driving under the influence and reckless driving.
A passenger who was riding with Gonzales-Rea later returned to the scene.
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Gonzales-Rea was helped out of his overturned vehicle by a passerby. He then stole the Good Samaritan's truck and fled the scene
The wedding had been celebrated just hours before the accident and Dhondup's bridesmaids had worn purple dresses. Purple was Dhondup's favorite color. Her family held a vigil on Saturday and released purple balloons to the sky
A GoFundMe page was set up by the family to cover funeral costs and $12,349 have been raised from the $35,000 goal
Dhondup had long dreamed of her wedding to her high school sweetheart but now will never get a chance to go on her honeymoon or come back to her three children.
'She went to go drop her wedding gifts off and she was on her way back to the party. She was not even a mile away.'
'They got to say their 'I Dos,' but they didn't get to live on for everything else'
'They had a whole life planned out together and he just cut it short,' Craft told KSL.
Family members of Dhondup held a vigil on Saturday night and balloons of her favorite color, purple, were released into the sky in her honor.
Manaure Gonzales-Rea, 36, fled the scene and was later arrested. According to a report, he had 'an overwhelming odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath in an open-air environment'
Her bridesmaids had wore purple dresses to her wedding.
Relatives and friends are now asking drivers to be mindful and not drive under the influence, as they had to say goodbye forever to their loved one.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety's latest report, 1,970 alcohol-related driver crashes occurred in Utah in 2016, which resulted in 1,220 injured persons and 36 deaths.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to cover funeral costs, which has raised $12,349 of the $35,000 goal.
