ROOSEVELT, Uintah County — A police officer for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs was killed in a car accident while responding to an incident near Bottle Hollow Reservoir Monday evening.
Officer Joshua Yazzie, 33, who was driving south on a small road on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation, lost control of his patrol car and crashed, Utah Highway Patrol troopers said.
Yazzie was responding to assist ambulance personnel with an incident involving an intoxicated person who was becoming violent. Yazzie was just a couple of miles from the incident near U.S. 40.
UHP troopers believe Yazzie was going just a little too fast when he entered a curve and lost control, overcorrected and rolled the Ford Crown Victoria patrol car.
Yazzie was ejected from the car and killed instantly. UHP Sgt. Ted Tingey said Yazzie was not wearing a seat belt.
Yazzie leaves behind a wife and two children.
Investigation of the crash is still ongoing.
"This is a sad situation," Tingey said. "This is our third officer killed in the line of duty since Josie Greathouse Fox and Sgt. Franco Aguilar. It's a sobering reminder that this is a dangerous profession and one that we as law enforcement officers choose to pursue and dedicate our service to the citizens of Utah."
Sevier County Sheriff's Sgt. Aguilar was killed April 29 while assisting a motorist who had crashed on Fish Creek Bridge along I-70. Millard County Sheriff's deputy Fox was shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 5 during a traffic stop.
— Lana Groves