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RANDLETT, Uintah County — The driver of a street sweeper died Wednesday when his machine was hit from behind by the driver of a sport-utility vehicle, the Utah Highway Patrol said.
The crash, which happened about 7:45 a.m. on 4250 South near 8500 East, forced the street sweeper off the road and into a ditch, where it overturned.
Steven Chet Goodrich, of Bluebell, Duchesne County, was not wearing a seat belt and was partially ejected from the sweeper, UHP Lt. Beau Mason said. The 25-year-old died at the scene, the lieutenant said.
The driver of the SUV, Wilda Annie Manning, 49, of Fort Duchesne, was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, Mason said.
Goodrich was part of a construction crew that started work this week on a chip seal project on 4250 South, according to Brandon Pack, general manager for Burdick Materials. Goodrich had worked for the company for at least six years, Pack said.
"He was young, ambitious and really fun to work around," Pack said, noting that the company has "never had to deal with something like this before."
"I just wish people would slow down and pay attention," he said.
Investigators were still trying to determine how fast Manning was driving when she hit the street sweeper. They found "little to no evidence of braking" before the impact, Mason said, adding that he was not aware of any evidence of impairment or distracted driving on Manning's part.
The crash, which happened within the boundaries of the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation, is being investigated jointly by Bureau of Indian Affairs police, UHP troopers and Uintah County sheriff's deputies.
An account for the family of Chet Goodrich has been set up at Mountain America Credit Union for those wishing to help.
*KSL.com does not assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
