A West Valley City transport employee facing murder charges is expected in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing regarding the deaths of three disabled clients found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. Isaiah Pulu, 25, allegedly left the men in a running vehicle inside his apartment garage earlier this year.
Murder charges and court proceedings
The preliminary hearing, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., will involve prosecutors presenting evidence to determine if there is enough probable cause to move the case to trial. Pulu was arrested in February after West Valley City Police Department officials reported that three patients were found dead in a running vehicle.
According to court documents and reporting by KUTV, the victims were identified as 25-year-old Colton Moser, 22-year-old Mosa’ati Moa, and 39-year-old Tim Jones. Pulu was an employee for a transport company tasked with driving the men to various assisted living facilities.
Details of the garage incident
Investigators allege that Pulu left the patients in the running car at approximately 10 a.m. after one of the clients became disruptive. Pulu told investigators he followed de-escalation training by leaving them in isolation while he went into his apartment to eat and watch television.
The discovery of the victims
Pulu stated that he left the garage door open and the car windows cracked when he entered his home. However, when he returned to the vehicle at approximately 1:30 p.m. to take the clients to their group homes, he found the garage door had closed and the three men were unresponsive.
Regulatory impact on transport company
The incident led to significant regulatory action against the transport provider. Utah health officials placed temporary conditions on the company and required all employees to undergo retraining following the deaths.
Criminal charges filed
Pulu faces several charges related to the incident, including three counts of murder, three counts of manslaughter, and aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult.
