A woman is fighting for her life after a traffic collision in Salt Lake City left her with critical injuries. The Salt Lake City Police Department said the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday on 800 South and involved a 45-year-old woman who was struck while reportedly riding her bicycle against traffic.
The episode unraveled at 12:07 a.m. when an officer discovered a car stopped in the road with its hazard lights on near the intersection of 400 West and 800 South, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department. Upon investigating, the officer found the injured cyclist. The Salt Lake City Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance were quick on the scene, transferring the woman to the hospital with injuries described as life-threatening.
The driver, whose vehicle was involved in the accident, is reportedly cooperating with the officials as they delve into what transpired. The SLCPD’s Collision Analysis & Reconstruction (CAR) Team, who specialize in dissecting the machinations of serious crashes, was called in to assist with the investigation.
This specialized CAR Team, a collective of law enforcement spanned across various Salt Lake Valley agencies, is trained in comprehensively analyzing collision scenes. Their expertise includes but is not limited to, collision examination, speed analysis, vehicle dynamics, occupant kinematics, and several other technical elements key to determining cause and culpability in such grave scenarios. In light of the severe nature of the woman's injuries, the watch commander called the CAR Team and the SLCPD Crime Lab technicians to work on piecing together what happened, the police stated.
The community waits as the CAR Team continues the investigation, while the woman remains in critical condition, a reminder of the fragility that comes with each crossing of paths on the roads we share.
