3 people heading to family reunion killed in single-car crash on I-70


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EMERY COUNTY — Three people traveling to a family reunion in Colorado are dead after a single-car crash on a remote section of I-70 Wednesday afternoon, police said.

The crash was reported at about 1:55 p.m. when the 77-year-old male driver of a white 2001 Ford truck traveling eastbound on I-70 veered from the first lane and crashed into a median. The crash was approximately 24 miles west of Green River, according to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Royce.

The driver’s 76-year-old wife and a 70-year-old female relative were also in the vehicle, Royce said.

Royce said the 70-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The man was taken to Green River Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. The 76-year-old woman was flown to a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, where she also died from her injuries.

Investigators said the man was wearing a seat belt, but the two women weren’t.

"The back seat passenger was thrown to the front seat," Royce said. "Mainly if that backseat passenger had been seatbelted, the injuries would be less severe."

Royce said all three were from Las Vegas and were traveling to Colorado for a family reunion. The names of the victims were not immediately released, pending family notification.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, Royce said.

"In this crash, we are looking at the possibility of it being a mechanical malfunction — possibly a tire issue," he said. "We're looking at all avenues at this time."

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