Colorado Man Dies in U.S. 6 Wreck

By Sun Advocate

Last Thursday, an accident on the stretch of U.S. Highway 6 between Price and Wellington claimed the life of a Colorado motorist.
According to Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Brian Olsen, the mishap took place at approximately 7:30 a.m. on April 4.
The fatal accident occurred when Colorado resident Eric Melvin Wrich, age 21, was traveling west on U.S. 6 and the small Toyota pickup truck he was driving apparently drifted into the eastbound lane.
After entering the eastbound traffic lane, the Wrich vehicle purportedly came into contact with a trailer being pulled by a pickup truck driven by an unidentified Salt Lake man.
The trailer was hauling a motor vehicle when the fatal mishap happened.
After hitting the trailer, the Toyota spun out of control and purportedly stuck a Savage truck head on, according to the UHP preliminary incident report.
By the time the incident concluded, Wrich had been thrown from the Toyota.
The Colorado motorist suffered head as well as torso injuries and the victim was pronounced dead at the accident scene.
Wrich was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt when the collisions occurred.
The impact of the collision was so intense that the engine from the Wrich vehicle was thrown several feet onto the side of the roadway.
The impact of the collision also caused severe damage to the Savage coal truck.
The driver of the Savage truck, Frank Gurule of Price, suffered several abrasions and bruises and was transported to Castleview Hospital, where he was later released.
The driver of the pickup truck was uninjured during the incident.
The fatal traffic accident occurred just outside of the Wellington city limits and stopped traffic on the highway for nearly two hours as rescuers and investigators examined the scene.
It appears driver error may have been a contributing factor, according to eyewitness statements.
Vehicle fluids, debris and orange paint littered the stretch of roadway where the incident occurred.