Police searching for Jetta in fatal I-15 Jeep rollover

Published: Thursday, July 3 2003 11:53 a.m. MDT

PROVO — Police are searching for the driver of a black Jetta that may have caused a fatal accident Tuesday on a stretch of I-15 in Utah County.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Dave Decker said Wednesday that the Jetta, which witnesses told police was driving recklessly, appears to have collided with the Jeep.

"We sent an officer down to the wrecking yard today to look at the Jeep, and we did find indications of some black paint transfer on the right front corner of the Jeep," Decker said. "It appears that there may have been contact made between the two vehicles."

Decker said officials will look for white paint transfer on the black Jettas they investigate.

The Bureau of Criminal Investigation reported 110 black Jettas registered in Utah County.

Decker said they can avoid contacting all the owners of all those cars if witnesses can recall whether the license plate had a SkiUtah or a Centennial design.

"If we don't get information from the witnesses we may never find this vehicle," Decker said. "We are trying to bring closure to the family, determine violations and who is involved, and what charges will be filed in this case."

Annie Jorgensen, the Lindon teen who was driving the white Wrangler, is suffering from a dislocated pelvis, damaged knee cartilage and severe road rash.

Police say Jorgensen swerved to avoid colliding with the Jetta. Then, the Jeep went into the median where it rolled three times and ejected both Jorgensen and her friend, Kolby Demarco. Demarco, 19, American Fork, died at the scene.

Annie Jorgensen, who has slipped in and out of consciousness since the crash, goes into surgery today for both her pelvis and knee cartilage.

"I'm not as concerned with her physical injury as I am with her coming to grips with the loss of her friend," said her father, Mike Jorgensen. "She'll miss him."

Mike Jorgensen said Annie also suffered a concussion and did not remember anything from the accident, including where she was going.

Mike Jorgensen described the conversation he had with his daughter Wednesday morning.

"Annie asked how's Kolby doing," Jorgensen said.

When he told her Kolby wasn't doing very well, she asked to see him.

"That's when I told her that he was gone," he said.

The two high-school graduates were on their way to Utah Lake for a boating trip when the accident occurred.

After emergency medical respondents located Annie Jorgensen's cell phone and called him, Jorgensen immediately rushed to the highway where we was able to find a UHP trooper and followed him to the accident.


E-MAIL: thollingshead@desnews.com

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