Multiple accidents cause havoc on freeways

One person died and multiple people were flown to area hospitals as a result of at least four major accidents this morning on Utah roadways.

The first incident was reported at 12:13 a.m. on state Route 201 near I-215. A 19-year-old West Valley man and his girlfriend were traveling in a car as possibly as fast 100 mph when they got on the turnoff to go to I-215, said Utah Highway Patrol trooper Cameron Roden. At the last second, however, the driver swerved to get back onto 201, he said.

The car ended up sideswiping another vehicle and then rolled about five times, Roden said. The driver was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected. Joseph Salazar was pronounced dead shortly after being flown to the hospital. His passenger was also transported but was not in life threatening condition. She told investigators the two were having an argument prior to the crash, Roden said.

About two hours later, a woman in her '20s was on I-15 exiting onto the Bangerter Highway near 13600 South when for an unknown reason her car hit the guardrail and rolled. She was taken to a local hospital in serious condition, Roden said.

An hour after that accident, about 3 a.m., an 18-year-old man's car slammed into a barrier on I-215 near 5800 South. Investigators in that accident were trying to determine if alcohol was a factor. Roden said there were also reports the teen was distraught and having some emotional issues, but troopers weren't sure Thursday if that was a factor in the accident.

The big accident Thursday that forced the temporary closure of I-15 near 3000 South happened about 6:42 a.m. A semi hauling two bellydumps loaded with clay rear-ended a Geo Metro, Roden said. That accident caused the semi and one of the bellydumps to tip over. The second trailer pup became disconnected from the rest of the vehicle, kept rolling and sideswiped two more vehicles, Roden said.

Some witnesses said the trailers were "whipping" before the accident. The semi-driver claimed someone cut in front of him as he was approaching slowing traffic. Roden said investigators were trying Thursday afternoon to confirm that.

The driver of the Geo was flown to the new IHC Hospital in serious condition. The passenger was also taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

The semi driver and the driver of one of the other passenger vehicles were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, Roden said. The accident and subsequent spilling of the clay that was being hauled caused a huge back up for morning commuters. The entire freeway was shutdown while the Geo patient was loaded onto a medical helicopter. Only one lane of traffic was open until about 8 a.m. By 10 a.m., five lanes of traffic were open again.

The backup caused several minor fender-bender accidents stretching all the way to the south I-215 interchange.

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