MILLARD COUNTY — A crash on Interstate 15 involving a teen driver and seven passengers resulted in one death and serious injuries for several other people Saturday evening.
Utah Highway Patrol responded to the single-vehicle crash involving a minivan near milepost 160 on southbound I-15 just south of Fillmore at 6:54 p.m.
“The driver, who was driving on a learners permit with her father in the passenger seat, allowed the vehicle to drift off the left side of the roadway to a point near the edge of the rumble strips,” UHP said in a statement.
The driver then steered sharply to the right, causing the minivan to slide on its side, UHP stated. The vehicle crossed both travel lanes and went off the road on the outside shoulder.
The minivan rolled several times, crossing a right-of-way fence and a frontage road before it came to rest on the side the frontage road.
Two boys, age 12 and 14, were fully ejected from the minivan during the crash, according to UHP. The 12-year-old, Alex Speer, of Escondido, California, died of his injuries.
Besides one 9-year-old boy who police say appeared uninjured, all the other occupants and the driver were seriously injured.
The teenage driver and a 48-year-old man were flown in a medical helicopter to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, and the remaining injured were transported by ambulance to Fillmore Community Hospital.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Oh no, heartbreaking ?
The boy who died wouldn’t have been ejected if he’d been wearing his seatbelt. He’d probably still be alive…
My nephew WAS wearing his seat belt, you insensitive jerk! They all were! They broke! How about you hold your judgments if you don’t know all the facts!
I think the law reads; drivers operating motor vehicle’s with learners permits must be accompanied by licensed driver 18 year’s or older, no additional passengers allowed. You think it’s never going to happen to you, but all could have been avoided if those responsible were doing their part, tragic
Damn shame. Can’t believe he allowed kids in the van and didn’t require them to buckle-up.
They were all wearing seat belts, but they broke. The car rolled 5 times! Hold your judgments if you don’t know all the facts, you insensitive jerk!
I feel the need to make this clear, everyone in my brother’s family was wearing a seat belt. My niece is not to blame for the accident, what happened can happen to anyone! She is a very sweet and loving girl, who loves her family very much, and she has to go though life with this weight on her shoulders, so you all need to hold your toung if you can’t say something nice, or at least consoling.