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SALT LAKE CITY — A Sandy woman who investigators say caused a wrong-way, head-on crash that killed three members of a North Carolina family and critically injured a fourth, may have been driving on the wrong side of the road longer than originally reported.
The Utah Highway Patrol has submitted its case to Millard County prosecutors for potential criminal charges. As of Saturday, no charges have been filed against the 42-year-old woman. But a recently unsealed search warrant provides new details about the investigation.
On June 19, Tyrone Bova, 47, and his wife, Holly Jo Bova, 43, were killed instantly, when their Ford Fusion was hit by a Porsche Ceyanna GTS on state Route 50, three miles south of Scipio. Haden Bova, 11, who was in the back seat, died while en route to Primary Children's Hospital.
The surviving family member, Tyler Bova, 17, was critically injured.
The impact from the violent collision caused the SUV to flip, nose-first, onto its roof, and spin the Fusion 180 degrees. The Porsche then caught fire, which spread to the other vehicle. A passerby who came across the crash was able to cut the seat belts of the SUV's occupants and drag them out of the burning vehicle.
That man later told investigators that as he pulled the woman driver out of her SUV, she seemed disoriented.
"She asked him multiple times if she caused the crash” and “what happened?” according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 4th District Court.
The woman and her 9-year-old daughter also suffered critical injuries.
Originally, it was reported that the woman was passing another vehicle on the two-lane highway when the crash occurred, and may have been distracted by two dogs in her vehicle.
But according to witnesses, she actually drove on the wrong side of the road for quite some time.
One man who was driving a semitrailer said the woman passed him “in a very reckless manner” and “continued to explain that he was surprised by the behavior due to the lightness of traffic," the warrant states.
Another woman told investigators that the driver was going “very fast” when she passed her, according to the affidavit.
“(She) continued to explain that after the white vehicle passed her, it did not return to its proper lane of travel, the southbound lane. (She) explained that the vehicle was in the oncoming lane of travel, northbound lane, for so long that she thought to herself, ‘Why isn’t the car getting back into the correct lane?’ (She) explained that she kept waiting and watching for the white vehicle to return to its proper lane because it traveled for a long time in the wrong lane,” the warrant states.
Related story:
3 in NC family killed in head-on crash near Scipio
A cross-country family vacation turned tragic when three members of a North Carolina family were killed and a fourth critically injured in a head-on crash near Scipio.The woman said she could see the Bova family's car coming and was “horrified” when the two vehicles hit head-on.
When investigators attempted to interview the driver at a hospital on June 27, others were with her and “attempted to invoke (her) right to counsel prior to answering any questions,” the affidavit states.
After the trooper told the others that only the woman could invoke her right to have an attorney present, the woman declined to answer questions without an attorney.
The warrant was to obtain a vial of blood from the hospital where doctors had already collected samples immediately following the crash.
As the investigation into potential criminal charges continues, the lone survivor of the Bova family continues to make slow progress.
A Facebook page, Built Tyler Tough, has been set up to give updates on Tyler Bova’s condition as well as conduct fundraising campaigns to help pay for his medical bills.
Earlier this week, the page posted: “Tyler continues to do so well! He is working hard. Continuing to make progress in therapy. They fit him for his leg braces today which is very exciting!! We have him hooked up with Fortnite now:) He is very excited about that. Please continue to pray for emotional healing. #BuiltTylerTough This young man is going to do great things!”
On July 16, the Facebook page posted: “Tyler continues to work hard in both physical and speech therapy! He is making so much progress! He’s getting stronger everyday! He’s had the chance to go outside a couple of times in a wheelchair (continuing to work to get his legs stronger so he can stand and walk).”
Another post talked about Tyler having back surgery and three plates “to do the reconstruction.” He has also had, among his many surgeries, facial reconstruction and an operation to repair an “aortic tear,” according to the website.
A GoFundMe Page* set up by friends of the Bova family also continues to collect donations at gofundme.com/tyler-bova-and-family.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money 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.
