Emergency crews respond to a Feb. 27 traffic accident on U.S. Highway 6. The single-vehicle mishap occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. when 18-year-old Phil James Scott Funk apparently reached for a cassette and his southbound Bronco drifted to the right side of the road near mile post 227, indicated Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Larry Mower.
Funk reportedly overcorrected and the Bronco slid across the roadway, struck the northbound guardrail and landed on its top approximately three miles from the port of entry. The motorist was purportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. He was transported to Castleview Hospital with arm injuries and head lacerations. Funk was cited for improper lane travel in connection with the mishap, confirmed Mower.
A second traffic accident occurred March 2 at approximately 8 p.m., when a 2001 Chrysler 300M driven by Jacques Louie Cypers, age 68 of Las Vegas, Nev., was traveling southbound near Emma Park. Cypers apparently lost control of the vehicle on a sharp curve neat the Price River bridge, pointed out Mowers. The Chrysler left the roadway just prior to the guardrail and evidence at the scene of the traffic incident indicates the vehicle rolled two and one-half times before coming to rest.
All three occupants traveling in the Chrysler were wearing seatbelts. Passenger Connie Halene Cypers, age 63 of Las Vegas, was riding in the front seat and managed to crawl out of the vehicle. Barefooted and without a coat, she climbed the cliff in 6 degree temperatures to flag down help. U.S. 6 travelers Todd Hatfield of American Fork and Tom Bushell of Midvale stopped to assist the accident victims. Helper Rescue 3 personnel arrived at the scene and extricated the two people trapped in the wreckage.
The accident claimed the life of 92-year-old Ila Jean Tidwell of Mt. Pleasant, who was a passenger in the rear seat of the Chrysler. Jacques Cypers was extricated from the vehicle with head injuries. Connie Cypers incurred bruises and lacerations in the mishap. The Cypers couple are expected to recover from the injuries. No citations were issued at the fatal accident scene.
Emergency personnel respond to separate injury, fatal traffic accident scenes
