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SALT LAKE CITY - A crash involving a motorcycle and a car killed a man Sunday morning. Troopers say this tragic accident should serve as a reminder of how dangerous holiday weekends can be on the roads.
The crash happened at a busy downtown Salt Lake City intersection.
The 55-year-old rider of the motorcycle was going west on 500 South. As he crossed through the State Street intersection, he collided with a car driving north.
He was thrown from his bike and died on impact. Police say he was wearing a helmet and died of a spinal cord injury.
The woman driving the car wasn't hurt.
"She's okay, not injured. Certainly shaken up, really upset with what happened," said Lt. Scott White with the Salt Lake City Police Department. "We're just trying to help her deal with this as best we can."
If we can get everybody safely home tomorrow we've accomplished our task of education and enforcement out there for the citizens of Utah.
–Sgt. Ted Tingey
The intersection was closed until Saturday evening while investigators tried to figure out what happened.
"We're not sure of color of lights or anything that way yet. A couple witnesses stuck around so we're definitely going to interview them, talk to them," White said.
They'll also take blood from both people for toxicology tests. Police have not yet released the name of the victim.
This deadly accident is the first this Memorial Day weekend, and troopers hope it will be the last.
"If we can get everybody safely home tomorrow we've accomplished our task of education and enforcement out there for the citizens of Utah," said Sgt. Ted Tingey with the Utah Highway Patrol.
UHP has conducted a few DUI checkpoints in Layton, Lindon and Grantsville this weekend. Troopers say they've arrested at least 14 people for driving drunk.
They're also enforcing their "Click It or Ticket" campaign.
"We've really been out trying to look for the seat belt violations and the good news is, talking to the other guys, we're kind of having a hard time finding anyone who's not wearing their seat belt," said UHP trooper Fred Vincent.
That was the case on our ride-along Sunday. In both traffic stops, the drivers and passengers of the cars were all wearing seat belts.
Both got speeding warnings. It's probably the most important tip law enforcement gives: slow down.
"With the weather changing for the better, there's going to be more bikes, more motorcycles, more scooters, more skateboards, all that," White said. "So just slow down."
UHP says there's no formal DUI checkpoint set for Monday, but troopers will be out in full force looking for drunk drivers, speeders and those not wearing seat belts.
E-mail: ngonzales@ksl.com
