UPDATE: The deceased driver has been identified as Arturo Hernandez, age 50, of Park City.
Original story:
One person is dead, and two others have been hospitalized with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries after an accident involving a vehicle traveling the wrong way in Parley’s Canyon Saturday night.
According to Utah Highway Patrol, the accident happened just before midnight.
Dispatch received multiple reports of a silver passenger car traveling westbound in eastbound lanes on I-80 near milepost 141 in Parley’s Canyon.
Shortly thereafter, additional reports came in of a serious crash just three miles from the scene of the initial calls.
Troopers arrived and found a silver 2001 Toyota Corolla had collided with a white 2015 Ford F-250 pulling an enclosed trailer.
The male driver and female passenger of the Ford were able to evacuate the vehicle before flames engulfed the passenger compartment. They were transported to a local area hospital.
The driver and sole occupant of the Toyota received fatal injuries in the collision.
Eastbound traffic was temporarily shut down until responding officers were able to allow vehicles to use the emergency lane.
The closure lasted approximately four hours.
Officers, unsure of why the Toyota was traveling the wrong direction, are continuing to investigate the accident.
The deceased driver has not been identified pending notification of family.
