Early Friday morning, a hit-and-run crash in downtown Salt Lake City left a 41-year-old man dead and a suspect, Steven Ray Weathers, aged 61, in custody. Found unresponsive by Gold Cross Ambulance workers around 1:15 a.m. near 400 South and 200 East, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to SLCPD. Despite their efforts to save him, he succumbed to injuries consistent with a vehicle collision.
With the driver initially fleeing the scene, the response quickly turned into a multi-agency effort involving SLCPD and the Utah Transit Authority Police Department (UTAPD). The latter described the suspect vehicle after reviewing footage from nearby safety cameras, information that would prove essential in the subsequent apprehension of Weathers. Parked in a lot off 400 South, discovered by Salt Lake City Fire Department (SLCFD) personnel, was a vehicle matching the description, with Weathers attempting to depart until being detained by firefighters and later arrested by SLCPD officers. Preliminary findings suggest impairment might have been a factor in Weathers's conduct at the time, with further investigation currently ongoing.
A swift arrest was made as firefighters spotted a vehicle matching the description provided earlier by UTA while clearing the scene of the crash. They found Weathers inside, and although he reportedly attempted a second departure, he was held by firefighters until police officers could arrive and take him into custody without incident. SLCPD describes Weathers as facing charges of automobile homicide, failure to remain at the scene of a crash involving death, and driving on a denied license, for which he was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail.
The identity of the man killed in the crash is being withheld, as officials are pending family notification. Recognizing the critical interagency cooperation, the SLCPD thanked UTA for their help with video review and acknowledged the Salt Lake City firefighters for their vigilance in the suspect’s quick identification and capture. The department's Collision Analysis and Reconstruction (CAR) Unit, along with the Crime Lab Unit, took charge of the continuing investigation, meticulously processing the scene to ensure the accurate gathering of evidence. The CAR Unit is especially trained for such analyses of collision dynamics and vehicle movement, playing a pivotal role in the prosecution of such cases.
