SALT LAKE CITY — A young Utah couple heading to Idaho were killed early Saturday after being struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 15 in Salt Lake City.
The Utah Highway Patrol said a driver, in a gray Audi SQ5, was headed the wrong way in the northbound lanes on the highway at approximately 2 a.m. when he slammed into another vehicle, a Nissan Rogue, near 2100 South.
Both occupants in the vehicle that was hit, 17-year-old Anneka Wilson and 18-year-old Leo Shepherd, suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle, Jose Angel Torres Jimenez, suffered only minor injuries and has been arrested and faces two charges of automobile homicide, driving under the influence and wrong-way driving, and violation of his learner's permit.
Jimenez, 21, was driving on a learner's permit at the time of the incident. Court documents state he admitted that he did not feel safe to be driving at the time.
Wilson and Shepherd were driving to Idaho to spend the remainder of the Thanksgiving weekend at her aunt's farm.
The Wilson family said Anneka, who was from Springville, was about to graduate from high school and had her sights set on attending college and studying radiology.
"Words truly can’t explain the loss we are feeling. She was just a beautiful, young lady who wanted nothing more in her life then to help others, she loved being outdoors, riding horses," said Anneka's older brother, Hallister.
Anneka's family said Shepherd was "such a great young man. He took good care of Anneka and made sure no matter what, he was there for her, he was respectful and would always help her with the things she needed.
Video shared with FOX News showed one of the vehicles fully engulfed in flames immediately following the incident.
Video below shows aftermath of deadly I-15 accident (Samuel Campbell):
According to Utah Highway Patrol Lieutenant Brian Peterson, the southbound lanes of I-15 near the crash site were closed for several hours before they reopened just before 10 a.m.
Photos below show I-15 crash scene near 2100 South:
“I’ve been a state trooper for almost ten years now. We’ve been on several very bad scenes; this one was horrific. It was one of the worst ones that I’ve personally seen,” he said. “While we were handling this crash, we had another wrong-way just up the road. Luckily, a trooper was able to stop that vehicle before it caused another crash.”
An arrest report for Jimenez had not yet been filed as early Saturday afternoon.
Wilson's family is now left to mourn the deaths of Anneka and Shepherd, just days after the holiday.
“We’ve lost two beautiful young souls to yet another DUI and things need to change," said Hallister.
A GoFundMe page has been created for Wilson's family to help with funeral expenses.
Lt. Peterson said extra troopers will be on the roadway with additional staffing to be on the lookout for more DUI incidents.
“Don’t drink and drive. That’s the most basic, fundamental rule. Don’t drink and drive,” he said. “Whatever you do, just don’t get behind the wheel.”
RJ Shepherd, the order brother of Leo Shepherd has also released the following statement:
"Leo is my little brother, I would give everything to see him one more time. Leo loved his family and loved Anneka. Leo always brought smiles and laughter, he was great with his nieces and nephews. Leo liked to go hunting, fishing and everything outdoors. You could always find Leo helping with the sheep or helping around mom and dad’s house. Leo will forever be missed. It’s hard for me and my family but the best thing we can do is forgive and hope that Leo’s accident is a message to people that drink and drive. It’s not worth the pain that you cause people."
