Driver found dead in truck 5 hours after overnight Kaysville crash

KAYSVILLE, Utah ( ABC4 ) — One person is dead and another hospitalized after a two-vehicle crash in Kaysville left one car severely damaged and another 1,000 feet from the scene.

According to the Department of Public Safety , the crash took place overnight on State Route 177 near 200 North on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The second vehicle was not found until approximately five hours after the crash.

Authorities said a Chevy truck was traveling north on State Route 177 around 1:30 a.m. when the driver veered toward the gravel shoulder and then overcorrected, “causing him to lose control and travel into the median.” The Chevy rolled and came to a stop in the southbound lanes.

About 10 seconds later, a Ford truck driving south ran into the Chevy. The Ford traveled 1,000 feet from the scene after the impact and ran off the road and through a fence.

Authorities believe the driver was severely injured upon impact explaining why the truck continued forward for nearly four-tenths of a mile before drifting off the road.

Authorities responded to the scene and found the Chevy with major damage on the right shoulder of the road. The driver was transported to the hospital by ambulance. However, officers did not notice the Ford — as it was off the road and 1,000 feet away — and left after cleaning up the scene.

“Due to the impact, the Ford lost all electrical power, it could not be seen where it came to a stop,” Cpl. Eddie Wright said. “There were no witnesses to the accident, and nobody saw the other Ford 1,000 feet south of the Chevy.”

As the sun was beginning to rise around 6:30 a.m., a driver noticed the damaged Ford truck off the side of the road and contacted authorities. Officers arrived at the scene and found the driver dead in their vehicle.

Lt. Mike McKay with the Utah Highway Patrol said the crews that initially responded to the scene looked at the markings on the roadway, discerning that the Chevy had rolled onto the southbound lanes. He said it was not until the sun was out that they were able to see evidence of a possible second vehicle.

While McKay said he is not a medical professional, he told ABC4 the extent of the driver’s injuries indicates that the driver probably would have died even if the Ford was initially found.

“Obviously we are concerned that this individual wasn’t discovered at the initial point at this crash, and we’re concerned for their families, and it’s just a terrible day all around,” McKay said. “But the way it was set up and how far that vehicle was down the roadway, it was very difficult to see even after daylight.”

The identity of the deceased driver has not yet been released.

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