Police officer runs over woman’s body in parking lot

MILLCREEK — A Unified Police officer is on paid leave after he ran over a woman’s body in a parking lot in Millcreek, but investigators have questions about the accident.

Detective Ken Hansen says police were called to the lot on 2300 East and 3300 South around 11:00 last night for a report of a woman down near a branch of Zion’s Bank.

Hansen says the woman was wearing dark clothing, and the officer did not expect her to be lying where she was.

“I think the officers, generally, when they’re looking for people who are sleeping are looking close to buildings,” Hansen said. “That’s kind of the traditional thing we look at, so having someone in the middle of the parking lot, it certainly doesn’t excuse it, but it’s very uncommon.”

Police and firefighters were unable to revive her. They are awaiting an autopsy to determine if she had passed away before officers got on the scene.

Salt Lake City Police and the District Attorney’s Office are investigating.

The victim is described as a 25-year-old woman from Georgia who police believe was homeless, and police say they had contacted her several times over the past week for sleeping in her car.