UHP explains how second truck went unnoticed for hours in fatal Kaysville crash

KAYSVILLE, Utah (KUTV) — The Utah Highway Patrol reported that a second truck was missed during the initial crash investigation and the driver was found dead hours later.

UHP initially investigated a crash that apparently occurred on State Road 177 near 200 North in Kaysville. The crash occurred in the middle of the night in an area with little to no lighting.

“This investigation was a little different,” said Lt. Mike McKay of the Utah Highway Patrol.

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In the early morning hours, when there were no witnesses and it was dark, UHP believed that only one car had rolled over and crashed on SR 177.

“It veered off the road to the right, oversteered to the left, went through the median, rolled over and came to a stop upside down,” McKay said.

But as the sun rose a few hours later, an emergency call came in about a crashed truck nearby. When police arrived on the scene, they found that the truck had damage consistent with a collision with the overturned car. The driver was found dead inside the vehicle.

“We are obviously concerned. Of course we want to have the complete scene when we were there the first time,” McKay said.

McKay said troopers walked the scene, but it was pitch black, there were no witnesses and the vehicles were a quarter mile apart. The second truck was well off the road.

“When the other vehicle hit it, it turned the first vehicle around in place, and there was no clear indication that another vehicle was involved,” McKay said.

He said investigators would learn from this crash.

“We'll be paying closer attention to what we do off the roadway, but like I said, this one wasn't clearly visible,” he said.

When asked if the person would have survived if he had been found, McKay replied: “Obviously I'm not a medical professional, but given the injuries he sustained, it doesn't appear he survived the crash.”

The injured person from the first accident had been in hospital since Wednesday evening.

The identity of the person found in the truck is not expected to be released until Thursday.

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