| A wrecked passenger car stands as a silent witness to a March 27 traffic accident near Sunnyside Junction. One man was injured when the driver of the car reportedly attempted to pass a tractor trailer rig last Wednesday night. Although the Utah Highway Patrol indicates no intoxicant was directly involved in the mishap, the juveniles traveling in the car, all from Salt Lake, were cited for unlawful possession of alcohol. The teen motorist received a citation for reckless driving. |
An accident on U.S. Highway 6 approximately one mile south of Sunnyside Junction last Wednesday created traffic problems and sent one victim to Castleview Hospital for medical treatment.
At about 7:21 p.m. on on March 27, a southbound 2001 Toyota Corolla driven by Kelly Simon, 17 of Salt Lake, purportedly attempted to pass a tractor trailer rig, indicated Utah Highway Patrol investigatiors.
In the process, the driver apparently misjudged the distance of another oncoming rig and struck the vehicle, pushing back the second axle of the truck so it had to be put out of service.
The Simon car was smashed on the left driver’s side and came to rest about 50 yards beyond the tractor trailer it hit on the southbound side of the road.
“The driver of the tractor trailer rig saw it coming and swerved to the right,” indicated UHP Trooper Jason Marshall. “It was almost a head on between the two.”
The driver of that rig, Louis Allen, 50, of Collinston, was uninjured in the mishap.
The Simon car carried three passengers, Robin Viavant, 18, Keith Walker, 18 and Nicholas Knowlton, 19, all of Salt Lake.
Knowlton sustained injuries in the crash and was transported to Castleview Hospital, where the victim was treated and later released.
“Everyone in the Toyota was wearing seatbelts, except Knowlton,” added Marsall. “He was also the only one injured.”
Simon was issued a citation for reckless driving and unlawful purchase/possession/consumption of alcohol.
None of the passengers traveling inside the car had been drinking, but the alcohol was present in the vehicle.
“It had not been consumed,” said Marshall. “In fact Simon admitted to me that he had promised his mother that he wouldn’t start drinking until they arrived where they were going.”