After a fatal collision that caused a 4-hour closure in Salt Lake City, I-15 is back open

Salt Lake City, Utah – Authorities claimed that a driver traveling the wrong way on I-15 on Thursday morning died after colliding with a bus carrying ROTC cadets in Salt Lake City.

The bus was knocked perpendicular to the freeway traffic, obstructing four of the five lanes just as the busiest part of the morning commute was starting, according to the Utah Department of Transportation. The crash occurred south of the 600 North freeway entrance at around 6:30 a.m.
Just before 11 a.m., some lanes were freed; however, there were still sporadic restrictions while workers attempted to clear the area.

A white Chevy pickup truck struck the bus head-on at around 6:30 in the morning when it was heading north in the southbound I-15 HOV lane, according to a statement from the Utah Department of Public Safety.

The DPS claims that the truck driver “suffered fatal injuries on scene.”

The wrong-way motorist was a 46-year-old Riverton male, according to the authorities. His identity is not known to the general population.

The bus driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden.

Twenty-two Utah State University ROTC cadets were among the bus passengers; no major injuries were reported.

Where the pickup truck entered the southbound lanes and how long it was moving against traffic before the collision were not immediately known. If the driver warning system for driving the wrong way had been triggered, DPS did not say.

When the incident occurred, motorists on the highway were stuck there until troopers were able to clear a lane and let them pass. This happened at around 7:30 a.m. Throughout the morning rush hour, southbound lanes were closed, and traffic was being rerouted at 600 North.
Commuters using I-15 through the area were advised by UDOT to plan ahead and choose different routes.

As the inquiry went on, the original 9 a.m. estimated clearing time was eventually pushed back by two hours. Law enforcement and the bus remained at the scene for about three hours following the crash.

During his monthly news conference, Governor Spencer Cox addressed the issue of drivers who are traveling the wrong way in Utah, telling 2News that the solution was for people to “quit drinking and driving.”

If impairment was suspected of playing a role in Thursday’s crash, the authorities did not disclose.

“The Utah Highway Patrol in partnership with the State Bureau of Investigations (is) still investigating why the driver was traveling the wrong way,” according to the DPS statement.