HEBER CITY — Six people died in a crash Friday after a dump truck that was reportedly being driven recklessly crossed over the freeway median and hit a pickup truck broadside, officials said.
Late Friday evening, the dump truck driver was booked into the Wasatch County Jail on investigation of vehicular homicide after troopers say they found open containers and prescription pills in his dump truck. His name was not immediately released.
The crash occurred just before noon on U.S. 40 near Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County, the Utah Highway Patrol said. The dump truck was westbound when it crossed into the median, vaulting over the cable barrier, troopers said.
It then hit the pickup truck, the UHP said.
Three people were ejected from the pickup, all of whom died, according to troopers. Officials originally reported a fourth person was found dead in the vehicle. But while separating the wreckage late Friday evening, officials found that two others had died in the pickup truck, UHP said.
All six people in the truck were adults and believed to be male.
UHP Sgt. Lawrence Hopper said officials will not be able to identify those killed until autopsies are completed.
"I think horrific is the best way to put it. When you've got such a large vehicle of a dump truck going freeway speeds, and then it just crosses over and broadsides another vehicle going freeway speeds the opposite direction, there's little left of that pickup truck," Hopper said.
An eastbound Jeep carrying two female occupants swerved to avoid the crash and rolled down an embankment, troopers said, injuring its occupants. They were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the dump truck, which is a business vehicle out of Park City, was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries before being taken to jail, troopers said. Details about his injuries were not immediately available.
The dump truck driver was not cooperating with police, troopers said. Police are investigating whether alcohol or drug impairment was a factor, the UHP said. Prior to the crash, troopers received a report of a dump truck being driven recklessly, the UHP said.
Officers sought a search warrant to draw a blood sample from the truck driver, troopers said.
Investigators will turn over evidence in the crash to the Wasatch County Attorney's Office, which will screen charges, officials said.
Eastbound traffic was backed up for several miles for several hours following the crash.
Friday's was the second fatal crash on U.S. 40 within 24 hours.
Late Thursday, one man was killed and another person was injured when a passenger car crashed head-on with a semitrailer.
Just after 11 p.m., a car heading west on U.S. 40 near Duchesne suddenly went into oncoming traffic for an unknown reason and hit a truck pulling double tankers, according to the UHP.
"The semi continued on for a short distance before being able to stop. The tractor then ignited into flames and completely burned," the UHP said in a statement.
The driver of the passenger car, Jacob A. Kosowsky, 21, of Boca Raton, Florida, was killed on impact, according to the UHP. A passenger was taken to Uintah Basin Medical Center with injuries not considered to be life-threatening. The semi driver was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Contributing: Jed Boal, Pat Reavy