Arizona man killed, 2 children hurt, after car hits rock wall near Mexican Hat
May 31, 2023, 11:04 AM | Updated: 11:40 am
A crash into the sheer rock wall on Utah state Route 136 killed a man and injured two children (Google Earth Pro)
(Google Earth Pro)
MEXICAN HAT, Utah — An Arizona driver was killed when he took a sharp turn too fast and struck a rock wall in a single-car collision near Mexican Hat. Two children traveling in the same car were taken by air for hospital care, according to Utah Highway Patrol.
Joel Ashike, 49, from Kaibito, Arizona, was driving on Utah state Route 163 near Mexican Hat in San Juan County on Friday, May 26, according to UHP. He was heading north and crossed the San Juan River at Mexican Hat bridge and then failed to navigate the 90-degree right curve the road takes.
The Kia Optima Ashike was driving struck the sheer rock wall that lines the roadway, killing the driver. A girl, 14, and a boy, 9, were severely injured and were flown from the crash. The current condition of the injured children is not known.
The tiny Utah town of Mexican Hat draws its name from a rock formation that from some angles resembles a sombrero.
