Survivors of Cedar City tour van crash clinging to life

CEDAR CITY — Monday's deadly tour van crash near Cedar City left several victims clinging to life Tuesday at hospitals across the state.

Three people died, and 12 others were transported to area hospitals after the van, reportedly carrying 14 tourists from Japan on their way from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon, rolled on I-15 about four miles north of Cedar City at about 6:40 p.m., said Utah Highway Patrol trooper Cameron Roden.

Hiroki Hayase, 20, died at the scene. A 38-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman also died. Their names have not been released, pending notification of family members.

All three were ejected and died instantly, according to UHP.

Masato Hisano, 29; Hideo Hayase, 52; and Yasuko Aizaki, 53; were at Cedar City's Valley View Medical Center in fair to good condition, while Yuki Yoshita, 30, and the unidentified van driver were treated at that facility and later released, said hospital spokesman Scott Monroe.

The other survivors, in more critical condition, were transported to hospitals in Salt Lake County, he said.

Monroe said two men and two women went to Intermountain Medical Center, two women were transported to University Hospital and one teenage girl is being treated at Primary Children's Medical Center.

A spokeswoman at University Hospital said doctors were treating two female victims who remained in critical condition Tuesday afternoon. A UHP statement identified those two women as Tomoko and Emiko Mizutani, both 27.

Akemi Hayase, 46; Kei Maeda, 29; Mai Hatta, 29; and Yoichi Aizaki, 60; were taken to IMC in critical condition, according to the UHP.

Mariko Hayase, 14, remained in serious condition Tuesday at Primary Children's Medical Center.

A woman who answered the phone at Sandy-based Canyon Transportation Inc. confirmed that the van that crashed was owned by the company, but she could not provide more details.

The 26-year-old driver's name was not released because UHP investigators say they planned to review the case with the Iron County Attorney's Office for possible charges. The driver is reportedly a Japanese national working out of Las Vegas.

Investigators say they believe the man was distracted and possibly drowsy when the crash occurred.

e-mail: jsmith@desnews.com