2 dead after pursuit ends with fiery crash into house


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HELPER — Two people were killed in a fiery crash early Friday when their vehicle — reportedly traveling 120 mph while fleeing from police — crashed into a house.

"I've been doing this a long time, and it's probably one of the most spectacular wrecks I've ever seen," said Carbon County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tom Stefanoff.

Just after 1 a.m., a deputy was sent to a bar at 100 N. Carbon Ave. on a report of a fight. Five people were involved in a fight outside the bar, Stefanoff said. The deputy arrived in time to see a vehicle with two occupants about to leave the parking lot. The deputy ordered the driver to stop and get out.

Instead, the driver swerved around the deputy, barely missing him, and then took off at a high rate of speed, Stefanoff said.

Moments later, a Helper police officer who had just gotten off duty and was driving home, spotted the fleeing vehicle on state Route 6. As the vehicle approached Carbonville Road, the officer used his radar gun to record it going 120 mph. Stefanoff said investigators believed the vehicle was a Dodge Magnum.

Two deputies continued pursuing the vehicle, but lost sight of it near Helper.

"After passing Poplar Street, they observed dust off to the side of the roadway and turned around to investigate. They discovered the suspect vehicle had collided with a house on River Street. Both the vehicle and the residence were engulfed in flames," deputies wrote.

Courtesy: Rick Sherman/KOAL Radio News
Courtesy: Rick Sherman/KOAL Radio News

"Because the house was destroyed, I don't know where the door was or anything. The house was completely destroyed," Stefanoff said.

The home was not occupied. Stefanoff said it was still unclear Friday whether the house was vacant or the residents simply weren't home. The entire chase lasted about five minutes.

Stefanoff said investigators believe the fleeing vehicle somehow vaulted off the freeway, traveled "a long ways," and crashed into the house. By the time officers and the fire department arrived, both the house and vehicle were engulfed.

Two people were found dead in the vehicle. Their identities have not yet been released. Both are believed to be males, Stefanoff said. Based on eyewitness accounts from the bar, the two were not believed to be from Carbon County, he said. Because of the extent of their injuries, however, the sheriff's office said their bodies would have to be positively identified by the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office.

The Utah Highway Patrol and the Carbon County Sheriff's Office were investigating the incident Friday.

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