Child hospitalized, another two rescued after truck submerges in Summit County reservoir

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Three children were rescued Monday after a truck rolled into the Smith and Morehouse Reservoir in Summit County. One was airlifted in extremely critical condition after authorities say he was under water for more than 10 minutes.

Capt. Andrew Wright with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said they got a call at approximately 5:20 p.m. that a vehicle was submerged in the reservoir.

After responding to the scene, they discovered that a family had traveled to the area to camp and were unloading some kayaks at the edge of the reservoir when, for some reason, the truck rolled into the water and submerged with three children inside.

Wright said one 9-year-old boy was able to get out on his own.

“We don’t know how he got out.”

A 2-year-old girl was then rescued by her grandfather.

Wright said he was too fatigued to dive back down and get the third child — identified as a 9-year-old boy — so he started yelling for help.

“A bystander was able to dive down five different times. On his fifth attempt, he was able to locate the male, brought him up to the shore, and he was airlifted to Salt Lake City, where we understand he is in very critical condition,” Wright said.

According to a witness who said she showed up right when crews were bringing the boy up on a stretcher, everything happened very quickly.

Witness: ‘They were here to have fun’ child critical after rescue at Utah reservoir

“They were here on vacation unloading their kayaks and paddle boards. They were here to have fun,” Deb, the witness said.

That quickly turned into a life-or-death situation when the third child, a boy couldn’t get out of the truck.

Deb said thankfully, the gentleman who dove in, who was on his kayak alongside his own family, had been a former forest service ranger in the area for around 25 years.

We are investigating a vehicle that became submerged with 3 children inside at Smith & Morehouse Res. A 9yo boy and 2yo girl were safely rescued from the vehicle. A second 9yo boy was rescued after being under water for more than 10min. He is in extremely critical condition. pic.twitter.com/c6q84JmRW0

— Sheriff Justin (@SummitCountySO) August 23, 2022

According to a Monday evening tweet from Sheriff Justin Martinez with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the boy had been underwater for more than 10 minutes.

“If you’re looking down it was on the far side of the ramp. They were parked over there, and it rolled back in. You could see the bubbles coming up, and it was completely submerged. They brought in a diver and a boat to get the vehicle out,” Deb said.

Additional details were not immediately available.

This article will be updated as additional information becomes available.