Ogden man to face trial in deadly chase

OGDEN — A 49-year-old Ogden man accused of killing two people while trying to elude police is scheduled to stand trial next week on multiple felony charges.

Eddie Raymond Bustos, whose trial starts Wednesday in 2nd District Court before Judge Pamela N. Heffernan, was involved in a crash Dec. 13, 2005, at the intersection of Grant Avenue and 24th Street.

Prior to the crash, police had pursued Bustos but say they called off the pursuit three blocks earlier.

Bustos' car broadsided another, killing Jessica Nelson, 21, and Philemon Ellis, 62.

Authorities at the time said he may have been traveling as fast as 70 mph.

Prosecutors charged Bustos with two counts of second-degree felony homicide, second-degree felony failure to stop at police command and another second-degree felony of illegal possession or use of a controlled substance.

Bustos pleaded not guilty to the charges on Feb. 28, 2006, and remains in jail with bail set at $100,000.

The family of Nelson filed suit last October in 2nd District Court against Ogden police, naming officers Matt Jones and Troy Burnett.

Jones was placed on administrative leave in an unrelated incident that was at the center of an Ogden controversy surrounding the mayor, its police chief and a so-called ticket quota.

The controversy prompted an investigation by the Weber County Attorney's Office, which in November cleared the mayor and police chief of any wrongdoing. Jones' wife was seen driving a moving van with signs on it announcing Ogden as home to a ticket quota. The chief insisted the administrative action taken against Jones was for unrelated personnel matters.