Utah County Family Urges Caution After Crash on Snowy Highway
Dec 2, 2018, 4:55 PM | Updated: 10:19 pm
PROVO, Utah – A Utah County family is recovering after a crash on a snowy road Friday afternoon.
Relatives hope the crash can serve as a reminder to others to be careful during winter weather. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the crash happened along SR-189 near the SR-92 turnoff in Provo Canyon shortly after 4:00 Friday afternoon.
They said a westbound pickup truck lost control and crossed into eastbound traffic. The truck hit a car head-on. UHP said snowy roads contributed to the crash.
“Two people at the scene told me that they don’t come onto a scene like that the person survives,” said Cathy Brand.
Brand said her daughter, Cortney Mecham, was the driver of the car that was hit. Mecham’s three children were in the car as well. Brand said several people, including a doctor and off-duty firefighter, stopped to help before paramedics arrived.
She said a family passing the scene stopped to help the children out of the car. Firefighters cut Mecham from the car and took her and the children to the hospital.
UHP said the driver of the truck was also transported with serious, but not life-threatening injuries. Brand said Mecham has several broken and shattered bones and will likely be in the hospital for weeks, followed by months of rehabilitation.
The children are also recovering from their injuries. Friends and family have set up an online fundraiser to help with hospital bills. (https://www.gofundme.com/cortney-and-kids)
Brand said the family who stopped to help the children came by the hospital with gifts for them.
“I can’t thank them enough for being so kind to help, not being afraid to get involved,” Brand said.
As Utah faces more winter weather, Brand wants drivers to be extra cautious.
“Check your tires and slow down, especially on those corners. There weren’t snowplows out. There was slush on the road. Had there been more drivers, they would have been involved too,” she said.
A UHP spokesperson said the driver of the truck was cited for failure to operate within a single lane.
