Christian Litton

Two people suffered serious injuries in a Sunday afternoon crash that authorities believe was caused by a drunk driver.

The two-vehicle collision occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on U.S. Highway 14A, roughly 6 miles outside of Cody and at the highway’s intersection with Lane 19.

According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the incident occurred when 36-year-old Christian J. Litton, of Cody, tried making a left-hand turn onto Lane 19 in front of an oncoming, westbound Lincoln MKZ.

The driver of the Lincoln suffered a broken hip and bruised lung and had to be extricated from the sedan. After he was freed from the vehicle, a medical helicopter flew him directly from the scene to a Billings hospital. The passenger of the Lincoln, meanwhile, reportedly suffered a broken finger and ruptured spleen. The driver’s dog died at the scene.

Charging documents don’t identify the two occupants of the Lincoln, but note the vehicle was registered in Park County.

Prosecutors have charged Litton with two felony counts of driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, plus misdemeanor counts of driving without auto insurance, failing to carry a valid driver’s license and failing to yield.

At the request of prosecutors, Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah set Litton’s bail at $100,000 cash on the new charges with another $100 tacked on for an alleged probation violation.

Alcohol suspected

Litton had been eastbound in a 2016 Dodge Caravan. He claimed the Lincoln had pulled in front of him, charging documents say. However, Trooper Crosby Ralston said it was “very obvious” from the scene and a witness account that Litton had turned in front of the Lincoln.

Litton reportedly said he hadn’t had a drink in two days, but while the troopers spoke with him, they noticed he smelled like alcohol and had poor balance, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He also reportedly made unusual statements and exhibited “unusually defiant behavior,” Ralston wrote in an affidavit.

Litton reportedly refused to perform any sobriety tests, but after arresting him, Ralston obtained a warrant for a blood sample that will be tested for alcohol and other substances. The trooper said he was told that Litton was taking an antidepressant that has increased side effects when mixed with alcohol.

Prior allegations

Court records say it would be Litton’s second DUI arrest in the past three years. In September 2022, Litton was drunk when he pulled out in front of another vehicle at the intersection of Mountain View Drive and U.S. Highway 14/16/20, nearly causing a crash, court records say. Litton served three days in jail and six months of probation for that offense.

In late January, Litton went off Whit Creek Road and crashed into a fence and a tree before driving away from the scene, court records say. He’s currently serving unsupervised probation for failing to report the crash.

Litton is also facing a felony charge of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor for allegedly briefly touching a pre-teen’s private area last summer; the child reportedly told authorities that she thought Litton had been drinking and touched her by mistake.

The allegations came to law enforcement’s attention last winter, and prosecutors charged Litton in early June.

He was initially held on a $10,000 cash bond, but posted a modified $10,000 surety bond and had been free from June 19 until Sunday’s arrest.

A preliminary hearing on the new crash-related charges is tentatively set for Aug. 1.