Snowstorm creates havoc on roads; 1 motorist dead, several injured

PEOA, Summit County — One person was killed and at least three others were injured as dozens of slide-offs and accidents were reported all over northern Utah on Thursday after a winter-like storm blanketed the state.

The worst accident was on state Route 32 near Peoa about 7:20 a.m. A vehicle traveling too fast for the snow-covered road went out of control and slid into oncoming traffic, hitting another vehicle head-on, said Utah Highway Patrol trooper Cameron Roden.

The driver, Felipe Salinas, 28, of Kamas, initially was up and talking with emergency crews before unexpectedly taking a tragic turn for the worse and dying at the scene, Roden said. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Also Thursday, three people were sent to the hospital following a crash in Parleys Canyon near Lamb's Canyon.

The two-car accident happened just before 6:30 a.m. when a car traveling in the eastbound lanes of I-80 crossed over into westbound traffic for an unknown reason and struck a westbound car, Roden said.

Two men were in the eastbound car. Troopers originally thought one of those men was ejected from the vehicle, Roden said, but they learned later that he had climbed out the car window on his own. Both were taken to University Hospital in serious condition.

The driver of the westbound vehicle was flown by medical helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in critical condition.

Investigators believe the vehicle that spun into oncoming traffic was going too fast for conditions. The driver lost control of the car, hit the end of the barrier and spun through the median into oncoming traffic, Roden said.

From 6 to 11 a.m., there were 20 reported crashes, including several slide-offs, on the freeways in Salt Lake and Utah counties, Roden said. Between 10:30 and 11 a.m., there were three separate accidents along I-215 near 500 North involving about a dozen vehicles, he said.

Roden said there was another batch of small crashes on I-15 near 600 South on Thursday.

All of the accidents appeared to be caused by drivers going too fast for conditions, Roden said. All injuries in those crashes were minor.

National Weather Service forecasters said motorists can expect similar weather conditions Friday, and Utah Department of Transportation officials warned drivers to slow down as poor driving conditions were expected.

Contributing: Lana Groves

e-mail: preavy@desnews