SPANISH FORK CANYON — One person is dead after two serious accidents on Highway 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon on Thursday.
The first accident happened around 10:30 a.m. at mile marker 181, according to Lt. Al Christianson. A car coming out of the canyon drifted into the eastbound lane, forcing the eastbound car to scrape into the side barrier and flip onto it, he said. The westbound car blew a tire during the scuffle, lost control and hit another eastbound car head-on.
One person was flown to a hospital in critical condition, and traffic was backed up three miles in either direction because of the accident.
At 11:50 a.m., police got a call of another accident at mile marker 184, Christianson said. A white Jeep was coming out of the canyon and came up on the stopped traffic from the other accident too quickly to stop. The driver swerved to the right, crossed another lane of traffic and rolled on the side of the road, coming to rest right side up, facing the opposite direction it was initially traveling. Six people were riding in the five-seater Jeep, and police can only confirm that one passenger was wearing a seatbelt — a 4-year-old child, who was strapped into a car seat. That child escaped with minor injuries, but the other passengers weren't so lucky, Christianson said.
Three of the six passengers were ejected, two from the back seat and the female driver. One of those ejected from the backseat died instantly. The other two were flown to nearby hospitals in critical condition, Christianson said. The other two passengers were transported by ambulance in serious condition, and one was later updated to critical and flown to a Salt Lake hospital.
One of the victims transported by ambulance was described by dispatchers as "combative" in the ambulance. Christianson said that victim suffered head trauma and was likely traumatized by the accident.
Highway 6 has long been notorious as one of Utah's most dangerous roads, and the road is even narrower and more windy than usual amid current construction projects.
"People need to drive looking ahead and expect the unexpected," Christianson said, while standing near the smashed Jeep. "Driving is a full-time job."
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