A 19-year-old Utah driver struck an 11-year-old girl on an electric scooter Friday, overturned the vehicle, then charged at her after the crash and said: 鈥渨e all have to die sometime,鈥?according to a witness cited in court documents. The driver, identified as Steven Ray Becky, allegedly tried to flee the area, but a witness held him down until police arrived, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Responding officers said the suspect鈥檚 attitude and statement to the girl led them to believe he鈥檇 intentionally hit her, the Tribune reported. Police Chief John Eining told reporters Friday that the girl was pushed off her electric scooter by a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta that was driving on the wrong side of the road. The incident happened around 8:30 a.m. Friday in Draper, a suburban community about 20 miles south of Salt Lake City. 鈥淭his is not what I would describe as veered into the gal or drifted into the gal,鈥?Eining said. The girl suffered a head injury and a fractured hip and was taken to a hospital in serious condition, Fox 13 reported. Becky was taken into custody and charged with suspicion of attempted criminal homicide, and DUI with serious bodily injury.
As with most other manufacturers鈥?鈥渃ompact鈥?sedans these days, the Jetta continues to grow, giving it the interior volume of some midsize cars. There is more headroom, knee room, and shoulder room than the previous generation. The trunk has 14.1 cubic feet of cargo space, and 60/40 split-folding rear seats allow for expansion of that space for bulky items. Under the hood is Volkswagen鈥檚 1.4-liter turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine from the 2018 Jetta, producing 147 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds torque. Versions with the automatic transmission have a stop-start system designed to improve fuel efficiency. It stops the engine during idle when the brake pedal is depressed and held, and restarts the engine instantly when the brake is released. New exterior features include a front end anchored by a distinctive trapezoidal radiator grille and standard LED headlights. The grille has four chrome bars, two of which flow into the headlight housings where the LEDs pick up the lines and connect them for a wrap-around effect, the company noted. The intent was to give the car a strong face, Volkswagen said, with the combination of headlight and grille in one shape for a wide look.
Among other new exterior features are extended side windows and an 鈥渙ffset鈥?roofline, a narrow strip that runs parallel to the actual roofline and into the C-pillar to visually reduces the car鈥檚 height, the automaker said. A carved arrow-shaped character line runs along the side of the body under the doors, tapering toward the rear. Wheel arches and side sills add to the overall muscular design. The rear end features an arched trailing edge, which merges into the trunk lid, where there is a new integrated spoiler. Also at the rear are new LED taillights. The body鈥檚 sleek design gives the new Jetta a 0.27 coefficient of drag, which helps boost fuel economy. Inside, the 2019 Jettas cockpit architecture is new, with the instruments and infotainment system arranged along a driver-oriented visual and control axis. Trapezoidal design elements from the exterior are repeated in the cabin for a touch of sportiness, while premium materials bring a decidedly upscale feel. The interior components are all new, with instruments and the infotainment system arranged along a 鈥渄river-oriented visual and control axis,鈥?VW says.
Some of the trapezoidal elements from the exterior are replicated inside the car, and there are premium materials throughout the cabin to help give it an upscale look and feel. The dash can accommodate the available Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, combining it with the infotainment system into a single trapezoidal unit. The climate system鈥檚 controls are in a separate module on the center console A rearview camera is standard. Also offered is a 10-color ambient lighting system. It鈥檚 hooked to the driver profile selection feature so that in Normal mode, the light is white; in Sport mode, it鈥檚 red; and in Eco mode, the lighting is blue. The Individual mode allows the operator to choose any of the available 10 colors. There are new fabric colors and designs for the seats and door trim, and the front seats feature an ergonomically-optimized backrest release. All models have a multi-function steering wheel that is leather-wrapped on all but the S model. R-Line models have a special leather-wrapped steering wheel. A Cold Weather Package is available on SE models and above, bringing a heated steering wheel.
