Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TAYLORSVILLE — A 58-year-old Taylorsville man was killed Saturday after a car he was working on fell on top of him.
Joseph Melnicki was working on a Ford Taurus in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 1099 W. Putter Circle (4010 South) around 1:20 p.m. when the accident occurred, Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal said. The front passenger tire had been removed from the car, which was lifted up on a jack.
"For unknown reasons, the jack either slipped or fell and the car came down on top of the gentlemen," Hoyal said. "One of the other residents heard a sound outside, looked outside and saw the car was on top of (the man)."
That tenant got help from others, who were able to lift the vehicle off the man. Paramedics at the scene attempted to help Melnicki, but he died at the scene, Hoyal said.
An autopsy will be performed by the Utah Medical Examiner's Office.
Detectives are conducting an investigation into what caused the car to fall, Hoyal said.
