A wrong-way driver caused a multi-vehicle crash early Saturday morning on Interstate 80, resulting in injuries and interrupting traffic flow. The incident, which took place near mile marker 118 by Interstate 215 West, began when a driver, fleeing from a foot chase with Salt Lake City police, entered the highway in the opposite direction and collided with an oncoming vehicle.
According to KUTV, the Salt Lake City police engaged in pursuit around 5:30 a.m., shortly before the suspect entered the freeway. The Utah Highway Patrol was notified momentarily about the wrong-way driver, with Trooper Davies Sanchez stating, "Immediately, we dispatched troopers to that area and later on received the call that the vehicle had crashed."
The Utah Highway Patrol confirmed that several people were transported to the hospital, but luckily, so far, no fatalities have occurred. The suspect, who hasn't been identified, is under investigation for DUI, shared by Trooper Davies Sanches, as reported by KSLTV. No exact count of the injured or vehicles involved has been released.
Speaking to the dangers of wrong-way driving, Trooper Sanchez emphasized, as obtained by KMYU, "Both drivers had to be extricated from the vehicles." He went on to explain that while the new signs and warning systems from the Utah Department of Transportation have helped reduce such incidents, attention on the road remains paramount to prevent these dangerous errors.
