FARMINGTON — A Bluffdale man has pleaded not guilty to automobile homicide charges in the deaths of two people in an Interstate 15 chain-reaction crash last summer.

Myron M. Barlow, 39, was arraigned in 2nd District Court last week and entered the pleas to the third-degree felony counts and four other charges stemming from the June 29 pileup on the southbound interstate in Kaysville.

Stephen Colter, 77, of Healdsburg, California, and Ariana Cotler, 37, of North Salt Lake — father and sister of Bestselling “Bridgerton” novelist Julia Quinn — were killed in the crash. According to charging documents, a catering truck lost a load of canvas bags in front of them, they and other cars slowed, and Barlow’s pickup truck crashed into their car.

Barlow allegedly told Utah Highway Patrol troopers he drank through the late evening hours June 28 until the early morning hours of the following day. He then drove from Oregon to Utah, stopping in Mountain Home, Idaho, and Tremonton. Troopers said Barlow admitted to drinking at both of those stops before continuing toward Kaysville.

After he was taken into custody on the evening of the crash, he was given a breath alcohol test, which registered at 0.146%. The Utah limit is 0.05%.

According to testimony in a preliminary hearing in January, troopers found vodka and whiskey bottles and a beer can in Barlow’s truck.

UHP investigators screened with county prosecutors the possibility of charges against the catering company, but no charges were filed, UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden said Tuesday.

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