A tragic incident unfolded in Vernal when a 21-year-old woman riding her bicycle was struck and subsequently dragged for three blocks by a motor vehicle on Tuesday morning, ABC4 reported. The Vernal Police Department confirmed the accident occurred at approximately 10:40 a.m. and the driver of the vehicle fled the scene after the incident.
The victim was airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital, where despite the severity of the incident, she is currently recovering, said her sister Sierra Walker. Suffering from extensive injuries including a small brain bleed, a fractured neck and elbow, and road rash over most of her body, the woman's survival was uncertain. "According to people on Facebook, people could hear her screaming," Walker revealed, as per KSL TV.
In a turn that brings some measure of relief to this story, authorities were successful in locating a person of interest involved in the hit-and-run. The suspect vehicle was found at a local apartment complex, and the person was detained. Details about the suspect have not been released, as the investigation by the Vernal Police Department is ongoing. The Vernal Police Department has expressed gratitude for the community's assistance in this case, extending their thanks to witnesses and community members alike for their help in the apprehension of the suspect, according to Gephardt Daily.
The condition of the woman, while known to be serious, was met with touching resilience from her sister, who expressed the family's shaken but hopeful outlook. "She could not be here with us right now had her guardian angels not been with her," Walker told KSL TV, recounting the victim's first words post-incident. The family, faced with the daunting road to recovery, remains hopeful, acknowledging the narrow escape from a potential tragedy far grimmer for their loved one.
