US woman, 44, allegedly looks up porn on her phone while driving, causes 3-vehicle crash, man, 66, dies

A woman allegedly looked up pornography on her phone less than two minutes before a three-vehicle crash that killed a man in Utah, U.S..

Christine Chao, 44, from California, was charged on Oct. 20 with automobile homicide, a second-degree felony, KSL reported.

The crash occurred on June 12, 2026, on the northbound Interstate 15, where traffic had slowed because of ongoing construction.

According to charge documents cited by KSL, Chao allegedly drove into the back of a slower-moving vehicle, causing it to crash into another vehicle in front.

“Officers did not observe any brake marks on the road to indicate the defendant slowed before the crash,” the documents stated.

Scott LaVar Lichfield, 66, was seated in the back of one of the vehicles. He suffered a head injury and later died, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

Chao allegedly admitted to officers that she was at fault, the charge documents stated.

Investigators seized her phone and obtained a warrant to examine it.

The examination allegedly showed that she had accessed pornography website "XVideos" less than two minutes before the collision, KSL reported.

Victim a devoted father and grandfather

Lichfield had celebrated his 39th wedding anniversary with his wife just a day before the crash, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his wife and five children.

Lichfield's family remembered him as a devoted father and grandfather who enjoyed reading, watching films, playing chess and building Lego with his grandchildren.