1 person killed, another critically injured in Big Cottonwood wreck

BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON — Police believe speed was a factor in the accident that killed a Salt Lake woman and sent her passenger to the hospital with extremely critical injuries Thursday night.

Witnesses report the vehicle was speeding in Big Cottonwood Canyon just past the Butler Fork trailhead near 9200 East about 5:15 p.m. Police believe sunlight may have affected the driver's ability to see the curve in the road and instead the westbound vehicle continued straight and crashed into a ravine.

The vehicle flipped at least one time and both occupants — a 50-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man — were ejected, Unified Police Lt. Don Hutson said.

Emergency responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene. Her name has not been released pending family notification.

Her passenger, also from Salt Lake, was flown by helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in extremely critical condition. Officials report he was still alive as of 7 p.m. It's unknown if they were related.

Police don't believe alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash.

"Speed is clearly ... a factor in this case," Hutson said. "We would encourage drivers to maintain their speed, especially when going downhill. It's easy for cars to get out of hand because we don't want to ride the brakes the whole time."

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