Two weekend wrong-way crashes leave three people dead

SALT LAKE CITY — Three people are dead from two separate accidents involving wrong-way drivers. 

On Saturday night, a young victim died from injuries after investigators say he hit head-on a white Volkswagon near 6860 South Mountain View Corridor. Unified Police Detective Kevin Mallory tells KSL NewsRadio the crash happened around 11:15 p.m. Saturday when a Silver Kia was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes and struck a white Volkswagen.

“The driver of the wrong-way vehicle was pronounced deceased on-scene. The driver of the car that was hit was transported to the hospital with minor injuries,” according to Det. Mallory.

A witness tells KSL NewsRadio she was traumatized after checking to see if the young victim had a pulse — he did not.  She says she called 9-1-1.  The wrong-way driver was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Unified Police say the wrong-way driver who died was a 29-year-old male from West Valley City.

Two killed from wrong-way crash on I-15 at 600 S.

A double fatal accident early Saturday morning leaves two people dead around 4:53 a.m. One of those drivers went the wrong way, according to UHP Sgt. Nikki Vargas. She says the driver of a white hatchback entered I-15 northbound from the 600 South off-ramp traveling the wrong direction.  

“Two vehicles crashed, there was a blue FJ Cruiser, which was traveling northbound on I-15 in the northbound lanes, then there was a white Ford Focus traveling wrong way southbound in the northbound lanes. It was a head-on collision, single occupants of both vehicles were deceased on scene,” says Vargas.  

According to a release sent from the Department of Public Safety, “the driver and sole occupant of the FJ Cruiser was unrestrained and was deceased upon our arrival. The driver and sole occupant of the white hatchback was wearing their seat belt but was also deceased upon our arrival.”

Vargas says impairment is being investigated as a possible factor, and the names of the deceased are not yet released pending notification of family.