Husband of woman killed in police chase speaks out

SALT LAKE CITY — The community is rallying around a widowed father and his two sons after a police chase ended in tragedy this weekend with the death of an innocent victim.

On Wednesday, 33-year-old Thy Vu Mims’ family broke their silence to talk about her legacy.

Since she was a little girl, Mims’ family said she’s been advocating for the voiceless and passionate about service, partly inspired by her parents who came to Utah from Vietnam as refugees.

Her family says it’s her example that is carrying them through their loss.

“People were just attracted to her naturally,” said Tripp Mims, Thy Vu Mims’ husband.

From working with students at Salt Lake Community College to advocating for refugee communities to starting a successful artisan bakery in the middle of the pandemic, Tripp Mims said his wife had one passion — helping people.

“These are friends she’s had for a long time, these are friends she’s just met … but they are all her best friends,” Tripp Mims said.

That’s how Saturday started off, Mims said Thy went out to brunch with a friend.

“It was the same routine we do every single Saturday,” Tripp Mims said.

But on the way home everything changed, according to Tripp Mims.

Thy Vu Mims, 33, and her friend were going through the intersection at 1200 West and 500 North in Salt Lake City when two men in a truck fleeing from police ran a stop sign and T-boned them.

The men, suspected of being drunk, suffered minor injuries.

However, Thy’s friend is in critical condition and Thy died at the scene.

“It was absolutely terrible,” Tripp Mims said, “It was one sentence that changed my life.”

Tripp isn’t ready to get into the details of the crash, but he shared his frustration.

“I am incredibly upset and know that in a neighborhood that looks very similar to mine, this should not have happened,” Tripp Mims said.

Tripp Mims says his family can feel the support from all the people whose life Thy Vu Mims touched. That’s how he wants to keep her memory alive- by helping others.

“For me personally, I’m thinking of every action as a gift to Thy,” Tripp Mims said. ”We have a lifetime to do all those things for Thy.”

Tripp Mims says their bakery, Mims Bakery will carry on. A big fundraiser is in the works to honor her life when they re-open.

There is also a GoFundMe account* to help the family.

Thy Vu Mims was identified by police as Thy Hoang Vu, her legal name. However, friends and family refer to her as Thy Vu Mims.

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*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.