ROCK SPRINGS — A 46-year-old Utah woman pleaded not guilty to a felony charge that stemmed from an incident where she allegedly ran her ex-boyfriend over with her car.

Rene Daniels appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery on Wednesday at an arraignment to one felony charge of involuntary manslaughter. Should Daniels be found guilty of the charge, she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

“Ms. Daniels has entered a plea of not guilty.  We are eager to review the prosecution’s evidence and litigate this matter to a just result,” Defense attorney Joseph Hampton said. “The trial is currently set for October 16, but it would not be unusual for a case of this nature to be continued.”

The charge stems from an incident that occurred on May 24, 2023, at the intersection of 9th Street and the North Side Belt Route, according to court documents. At around 11 p.m. Rock Springs Police Department officers responded to the intersection for a report of a male who had been run over by a vehicle and taken to the hospital. The man was later identified as Emiliano “Chico” Morales III.

While officers investigated the scene, other officers went to the hospital to locate Morales. Court document state, that while at the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, an officer spoke to Daniels. Daniels said she met her boyfriend Morales of 2 years at the Kum & Go on 9th Street to give him his belongings back.

Daniels said they had been arguing because Morales had been cheating on her and a one point during the argument, he threw his belongings at her while she was sitting in her Chevy Tahoe that was stopped on the road. Daniels said she got out of the car, took a motorcycle part, scraped it on the ground, and then allegedly threw it in Morales direction. She then got back into her vehicle, the documents state.

Morales, who was behind her vehicle, picked up the motorcycle part and allegedly threw it at the back window, causing the window to break. As the window shattered, Daniels hit the gas pedal on her car to try and get away. Daniels said Morales jumped onto the hood of the car as she was driving away.

Daniels said everything happened really fast and he went under the vehicle. She allegedly admitted to running Morales “completely over.” After she allegedly ran Morales over, she heard him say “Baby you got me. Take me to the hospital.” After Daniels stopped the car, Morales then got into the passenger seat. On the way to the hospital, Morales lost consciousness. Morales later died at the hospital.

Officers asked Daniels what Morales was doing in that area and she said he was there with his girlfriend he cheated on her with. They were together when she met him to give him his bag of belongings back. Daniels said Morales threw his bag in the road and she turned her vehicle around, parked it, and was helping him pick up scattered papers.

While at the scene, officers noticed glass in the right turn lane to turn southbound on 9th Street consistent with glass from the back of Daniel’s window. They also noticed a dirt/gravel area on the South Belt Route and saw where tire treads entered the area, made a loop, and exited the same location. In the center of the gravel loop were two disturbances in the ground near the center of the vehicle’s path. Officers believe Morales’ body created those disturbances.

Officers noticed where the vehicle stopped and turned around. They also observed gravel buildup consistent with a vehicle accelerating to leave the area. Officers believe Daniels stopped to help Morales into the car. Officers also discovered someone’s belongings in the street.

Witnesses at the scene, told officers a Tahoe was spinning dirt everywhere and it looked like it hit someone. Then they saw a guy on the ground. The Tahoe stopped and a person got out of it. Then a man got into the passenger side of the vehicle and they drove off. The vehicle’s back window was broken.

Officers inspected Daniel’s Tahoe and saw what appeared to be blood on the passenger handle and on the interior of the passenger side of the SUV. They also noticed the rear window was broken.