Cold weather linked to Parleys crashes

A recent rash of traffic accidents in Parleys Canyon can be partially blamed on the inversion and the valley's stretch of cold weather.

Since Sunday night through noon Wednesday, there had been approximately 125 crashes in Parleys including two fatal incidents.

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Preston Rabin said his office was informed by the Utah Department of Transportation that the inversion is keeping the temperatures down and causing moisture to collect on the roads, almost like a frost.

But the big problem is that as of Wednesday, Rabin said UDOT hadn't been able to find anything they could throw on top of the frost to effectively dissolve it.

So until the inversion lifts, the UHP has two full crews patrolling Parleys and is encouraging everyone to drive only 55 mph.

Most of the accidents have happened near the mouth of Parleys, going both up and down the canyon, Rabin said.

However, troopers aren't sure if the two fatal crashes this week were due to icy roads.

Tuesday, Brett Ericksen, 28, Salt Lake City, was killed when his vehicle smashed into the back of a semitrailer truck near Lamb's Canyon.

Sunday, Lexi Paget, 3, of Park City, was killed when another vehicle crossed the median and smashed into her family's car. Her mother, 30-year-old Annette Paget, has already lost an arm and remains in critical condition.