Troopers investigate crash in construction area on I-80 near 2300 East
Dec 15, 2022, 10:19 PM | Updated: Apr 17, 2023, 2:46 pm
SALT LAKE COUNTY — Utah Highway Patrol was investigating a crash in a construction area off of Interstate 80 Thursday night in which the driver was found down a hill from his wrecked truck.
Troopers arrived at the scene off of the westbound lanes near 2300 East to find the front of the fuel service delivery truck crunched under a section of an asphalt paver.
“We suspect it did come from I-215,” UHP Sgt. Kris Cope said. “We found the vehicle was abandoned at the time.”
As troopers began to search the area, they found the driver down a steep hill next to the interstate.
“He was laying down by the river allegedly looking for a dog that also ran from the scene,” Cope told KSL TV. “We haven’t located a dog quite yet.”
Based on the state of the truck as it was found, Cope was surprised the driver was not found inside it.
“Just the fact this gentleman is still alive is pretty remarkable,” he said.
Cope said troopers were looking into whether the driver was possibly impaired and also whether factors such as speed or slick conditions could have contributed to what happened.
He urged other drivers to be cautious Thursday night into Friday morning as very cold temperatures threatened to turn wet roads slick.
“It’s been snowing for the last couple days,” Cope said. “Be cognizant with your speed, continue to wear your seat belt and travel safely.”