4 killed in weekend highway accidents

Four people were killed on Utah's highways during the holiday weekend.

The latest freeway fatality was Monday in Weber County. A motorcyclist was riding on I-84 about 6:20 p.m., when he came up quickly on traffic that was stopped due to construction, said Utah Highway Patrol trooper Cameron Roden.

The cyclist locked his brakes, causing him to fall off, slide through the shoulder and come to rest in the center median. Carl Mason, 46, was taken by medical helicopter to Ogden Regional Medical Center in critical condition with head and chest injuries, and was later pronounced dead.

That fatal accident followed three others over the weekend.

Another motorcycle crash Friday claimed the life of a 62-year-old man. A couple from Edmund, Okla., was riding on state Route 24 near Cainesville about 2:30 p.m. when the driver lost control for an unknown reason, Roden said. The motorcycle went down an embankment and overturned, killing Ronald Burkhart and injuring 67-year-old Rosetta Blocker.

On Saturday morning, Rogelio Gallegos, 38, of Orem, was killed in a rollover accident in Sardine Canyon. Police said Gallegos was traveling too fast and ended up driving off the road and down an embankment, ejecting him.

A man was killed Sunday near Mona about 10:45 a.m., when one of the tires blew out on his vehicle and he lost control. The man was not wearing a seat belt, according to the Highway Patrol.

"It was definitely a busy (weekend) for us," Roden said.

In addition to the fatal accidents, troopers responded to several serious nonfatal crashes and had extra DUI shifts throughout the weekend, he said.

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