Idaho Father Charged After Allegedly Texting, Shopping and Using Instagram Before Car Crash

An Idaho father is facing charges after crashing his car into another, leading to the death of his young son.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Austin Summers, 31, of Meridian, Idaho, has been charged with felony vehicular manslaughter and two counts of injury to a child, citing court records.

A probable cause affidavit states that on November 25, 2025, Austin was driving a GMC pickup truck at a rate of 73-75 miles per hour when he rear-ended a Ford F450 that was traveling about 7 miles per hour with its hazard lights on due to a mechanical issue, the outlet reported.

Austin’s son, Graham, 7, who was seated in the passenger’s seat, was killed. Court documents stated the child was not wearing a seat belt, according to the report.

Graham’s cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries, per a coroner’s report, via the outlet.

Austin, who was trapped in the vehicle at the time of the crash, also had two children — a 3-year-old and 5-year-old — in the backseat. Following the crash, blood tests showed Summers had cocaine and opiates in his system, according to court documents.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for Austin’s phone, which allegedly showed he had been using it from 2:45 p.m. up until 3:02 p.m., the reported time of the crash. According to the affidavit, Austin exchanged more than a dozen messages, browsed Instagram, shopped on Amazon and accessed photos.

Minutes before the collision, investigators said Austin recorded a video and took a photo of another car crash he passed on the highway. Court documents allege Austin had begun drafting an Instagram Story that partially read, “Avoid th (sic) freeway heading…”

According to local IdahoNews, Austin turned himself in to the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He is separated from his wife Ashley, per the local report. Ashley reportedly provided the court with texts between her and her estranged husband about her concerns for her children’s safety while they were in his care.

Austin has since spoken out about the accident, taking accountability for his son not wearing a seatbelt, but denying having any impairment while behind the wheel.

“While I am devastated by the loss of my son, I take responsibility not in that I was impaired by any means, or that Graham unilaterally took his seat belt off while I was driving on the freeway, but that I should have immediately pulled over and made sure he was properly buckled. That will haunt me forever,” Austin said, per a court document, via the Idaho Statesman.

Austin was arraigned on Monday, July 27, but does not appear to have entered a plea, per court records. The Idaho father is being held in jail on a $500,000 bond. His next hearing is on August 6.