A 13-year-old boy sustained serious head injuries and was transported by helicopter Thursday evening after his father lost control of his sports scar and crashed into oncoming traffic near 6000 East and Big Cottonwood Canyon Road.
Witnesses told police that shortly after 8:30 p.m., the man was racing his Lotus against a white Porsche when he apparently lost control.
"Witnesses reported the Lotus went around the turn and the back end slipped out, and it over corrected," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Petersen. "He just lost control."
The Lotus struck a BMW in the opposite lane head-on. The driver and passenger of that car, a husband and wife, sustained minor injuries, Petersen said. Their car, however, was damaged beyond repair.
Police extricated the child and his father with "all the tools available," Petersen said. It took nearly 30 minutes to cut the roof off the vehicle and free them.
A Life Flight helicopter flew the boy to Primary Children's Medical Center in serious condition. His father was transported by ambulance to Intermountain Medical Center, also in serious condition.
All lanes of Big Cottonwood Canyon Road were closed for more than an hour. Officers allowed traffic to resume shortly before 10 p.m., Petersen said.
At 11 p.m., police spotted a white Porsche exiting the canyon. They stopped the vehicle and interviewed the driver, Petersen said, adding that he did not believe the two drivers involved in the race knew each other.
"Police are obviously investigating the scene. They'll screen the information (the driver of the Porsche) gives them through the District Attorney's office to decide what, if any, charges should be filed," Petersen said.
— Michael Gonda