1 dead in third wrong-way crash in Utah in less than 24 hours

SALT LAKE CITY — One person is dead after a wrong-way crash near 6860 South on the Mountain View Corridor, Unified police said. It was the second fatal wrong-way crash and third overall crash in less than 24 hours, with a total of three people dead.

On Saturday about 11:15 p.m., Unified police received a call reporting a traffic accident, Unified police detective Kevin Mallory said. A Kia was traveling southbound in northbound lanes when it struck a Volkswagen.

The driver of the Kia was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Mallory. The driver of the Volkswagen was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

“It’s too early to be able to say at this point,” Mallory said about the cause of the wrong-way crash. “All we know is that it was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes.”

The crash occurred less than 24 hours after a separate fatal wrong-way crash early Saturday on I-15 at 600 S. that killed two people. Impairment is being investigated as a possible factor in that accident, Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Mikki Vargas said.

An additional, non-fatal, wrong-way crash occurred on Saturday about 5:30 p.m. when a Dodge Journey traveling east on state Route 6 crossed over the center lines. The Dodge crashed head-on with a semi-truck traveling west, Utah Highway Patrol officials said.

The Dodge Journey then continued east and crashed into another vehicle before stopping at a concrete barrier.

The driver of the Dodge was transported to a hospital with injuries not considered to be life threatening. The passenger was transported to a hospital with serious life-threatening injuries, according to officials. The cause of that crash has not been released.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Mikki Vargas as Sgt. Nikki Vargas.