BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON — A Taylorsville man died Friday when his vehicle plummeted 600 feet off the top of Guardsman Pass.
Lewis R. Davis, 57, had reportedly driven to the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon and was about to descend toward Midway through Guardsman Pass when his car went over the edge about 7:30 a.m.
A group traveling in a car right behind Davis witnessed the crash.
"As they crested the mountain summit, the bright sunlight nearly blinded them, making it difficult to see the roadway," said Wasatch County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jared Rigby. "The motorists reported seeing the vehicle go over the edge of the roadway and roll to the bottom of the pass."
In addition to the second vehicle, Rigby said there were several mountain bikers in the area. Several witnesses traversed down the steep mountainside in an attempt to help Davis, administering CPR until rescue crews from the sheriff's office, Unified Police Department and Unified Fire Authority could arrive.
Davis was pronounced dead at the scene. Neither drugs nor alcohol were suspected as being factors in the crash.
— Pat Reavy