Utter, 53, sentenced for June DUI that killed beloved photographer
JACKSON — After Florence McCall’s friends and family described how their lives had been shattered by her loss, a judge on Tuesday sentenced the man who killed the longtime Jackson photographer to 10 to 12 years in prison for drunk driving and vehicular homicide.
After initially pleading not guilty, Jody Christopher Utter, 53, admitted under oath that he chose to drink and drive before hitting and killing McCall June 21 while she was about to cross South Park Loop Road on her bicycle.
In seconds, Utter’s decision turned an ordinary afternoon into a fatal one, prosecutors said.
“Mr. Utter does not have that prior DUI history,” Teton County Prosecutor Dick Stout said in Teton County District Court. “But due to the severity of this offense, this case illustrates that even one instance of drinking and driving can kill someone and ruin your life.”
By pleading guilty, Utter avoided a trial and acknowledged responsibility for McCall’s death, setting the stage for victim impact statements that laid bare how one act of drunk driving devastated a family, ended a creative life and echoed throughout the community.
“Words seem so empty,” Brian Nystrom, McCall’s longtime partner, told District Court Judge Joseph Bluemel. “They don’t seem adequate. The sadness has been so deep that I can’t see the bottom of it, or the top of it. I don’t recognize the world without Flo in it.
“She was almost home. I was waiting for her,” he said. “The hardest part is not only that her life was stolen, but that so many futures were stolen with it.”
92 in a 35
Under oath, Utter acknowledged he consumed approximately six beers over three hours before driving the afternoon of June 22. He said in court that he needed a “release” and was “stressed” that day.
Crash investigators found Utter was driving more than 92 mph in a 35 mph zone just 1.8 seconds before he hit McCall, they revealed for the first time Tuesday.
In the final moments before impact, investigators said Utter let off the accelerator and slammed on the brakes. Despite the emergency braking, he still hit McCall at 63 mph.
Data from Utter’s vehicle showed that his anti-lock braking system engaged, meaning he was braking as hard as possible while still trying to steer.
Investigators found physical evidence on the roadway — skid and scuff marks — consistent with maximum braking and his last-second attempt to avoid hitting McCall. Utter was driving a company SUV that was not his own.
Evidence from the crash report indicated that McCall was either stopped or moving very slowly when Utter hit her on her bike in the eastbound lane.
Her front tire was just barely in the center of the lane, according to the report.
Investigators determined Utter’s intoxication contributed to his impaired judgment, reaction time and his inability to avoid the collision, said Landon Call, a Teton County Sheriff’s Office detective.
When booked into jail, Utter’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.16%, twice the legal limit. An earlier roadside test that wasn’t considered in court detected an even higher level.
McCall died at the scene from blunt force trauma. She was finishing up a mountain bike ride and headed home on Melody Creek Lane, just across the street from the bike path she was using.
Flo’s children speak
For more than two decades, McCall used her camera lens to chronicle the milestones of Jackson families, from newborns to high school seniors and families, often returning year after year to capture their lives in motion. She was a mentor and a magnetic presence in the community.
Friends have said the arc of her life was defined by determination, grit and humor. From working shifts at the Mangy Moose to managing the hustle of the wedding circuit, she eventually settled into her most beloved role: mother to Tanner, now 21, and Anabel, 17.
In statements to the court, Tanner and Anabel Phillips described losing not only their mother but the future they expected. Tanner, a college senior, called McCall his teacher, coach and guide.
“Everything I imagined for my future has been shattered,” Anabel, a high school senior, told the judge. “I wake up every day without her voice. My mom and I were truly best friends.”
McCall’s sister, Tari Carlson, recalled the moments after the crash.
“We were only allowed to hold her right hand to say goodbye,” Carlson said. “She died so suddenly and so violently.”
Utter responds
When it came time for Utter to respond, he was seated next to his defense attorney, Jack Edwards, as he turned to face the family and the community seated in front of him.
His hair was cut short, he was clean shaven and he seemed thin from serving 171 days in Teton County Jail. His voice was quiet.
“There are no words that can express my deep and sincere sorrow and remorse,” Utter said after telling Bluemel that he was guilty. “Never in my life did I think I could do something that would cause the loss of a life.
“I took her away from her children, her partner, her sisters, her friends and her community,” he said. “I am sorry. It haunts me every day to know that I caused her death.”
Justice and mercy
Bluemel said he weighed both justice and mercy before accepting Utter’s plea. Bluemel is the Lincoln County judge assigned to the case after Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens recused herself.
“It’s important to this court that the family of Florence McCall was supportive of the agreement,” he said, adding that Utter’s words alone would be hollow given the harm done.
In accepting the plea, Bluemel recommended Utter undergo intensive treatment and sentenced Utter to no less than 10 years in prison, and no more than 12. Utter will get credit for time served in Teton County Jail, but be unable to seek early release.
In doing so, he closed a case that left no one in the courtroom untouched.
“There are no winners here today, everyone is losing,” Nystrom said. “If one person hears about this and decides not to get behind the wheel [after drinking], something good will come of this. If any good can come out of this, that is my hope.”
Utter remains in Teton County Jail. He will eventually be transported to the Wyoming State Penitentiary, where he is set to serve the remainder of his sentence.
This story was published on Dec. 10, 2025.