Utah State Parks, Wasatch County Sheriff's deputies, Search and Rescue, EMS, and Life Flight responded yesterday to an Off- Highway Vehicle roll over in Snake Creek Canyon in Wasatch County west of Midway.
The accident occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. There were two occupants on the OHV and the driver lost control while it traveled down an embankment somewhere near the top of the canyon. The passenger jumped from the vehicle before it rolled. The driver was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. Utah State Parks Public Information Officer, Eugene Swalberg says they believe the accident was caused by a mechanical failure but it is still under investigation. He told KPCW his agency is handling the accident portion of the investigation and he does not have the names of the two victims but said the County Sheriff’s office is overseeing the medical portion of the investigation and has the names of both the injured and the deceased. The Wasatch County Sheriff’s department did not respond to KPCW’s in time for this report.
“Two friends, one 59 years old and the other 60 years old were out on an off-highway-vehicle ride. Not exactly sure if they were hunting or not. They were riding. They did not have helmets on. I do not believe they were buckled in properly to the ATV or the side by side. There was a mechanical, or at least it was reported, there was a mechanical failure. The 59- year-old friend jumped out of the vehicle. The other, driver of the “Two friends, one 59 years old and the other 60 years old were out on an off-highway-vehicle ride. Not exactly sure if they were hunting or not. They were riding. They did not have helmets on. I do not believe they were buckled in properly to the ATV or the side by side. There was a mechanical, or at least it was reported, there was a mechanical failure. The 59- year-old friend jumped out of the vehicle. The other, driver of the ATV, stayed with the vehicle, ended up in a roll over and was ejected from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries."
Swalberg says the family of the deceased victim has been notified and that alcohol is not suspected to be the cause of the accident. He does not have the medical report of the 59-year-old man who jumped out of the vehicle but believes he is in fair condition.
