I-80 rollover near Tooele kills woman, injures 5

Published: Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 7:06 p.m. MDT
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A rollover on I-80 Monday afternoon killed one woman, injured five other people and delayed commuters for one to two hours.

A family was traveling east in a minivan on I-80 when officials say a tire blew and the van veered into the median.

All six passengers were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, which occurred near the View Area scenic rest stop located where I-80 rounds the northwest slope of the Oquirrh Mountains.

Maria Romero, 65, died from her injuries after she was partially ejected from the minivan when it struck and rolled over the median cable fence, Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Andrew Prescott said. The minivan ended up in the freeway's westbound lanes.

Authorities initially shut down several lanes in each direction before eventually diverting miles of backed-up traffic around the accident by directing it through the View Area rest stop, which is just southwest of Black Rock.

A medical helicopter dispatched to the scene was canceled when Romero was pronounced dead.

The other accident victims, who were all family members, suffered minor injuries; four were taken to Intermountain Medical Center and one to Tooele's Mountain West Hospital, Prescott said.

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Traffic remained slow on I-80 for so long that many motorists got out of their stopped vehicles and walked around while waiting for traffic to begin moving again.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic heading west out of Salt Lake County extended over a 5-mile stretch reaching both state Route 202 and state Route 201. A 6-mile-long traffic jam extended west on I-80 into Tooele County, according to a source at the scene.

— Jacob Hancock

Recent comments

If she was wearing a seat belt why was she ejected?

Anonymous | Sept. 29, 2009 at 6:03 p.m.

Dear Marie:

There was no offense or insensitivity intended in a...

Sleuth  | Sept. 29, 2009 at 4:12 p.m.

Wow..to the family this very sad, my heart goes out for you all, i...

Ben | Sept. 29, 2009 at 12:33 p.m.

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