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Sandra Yi ReportingA minivan packed with people rolled, killing a woman and injuring more than a dozen others. The crash took place early this morning, just north of Wilson Arch in Moab. The driver ran from the scene of the accident.
Some of the passengers may have been illegal immigrants. That's partly why state police are having a hard time with this investigation. Some witnesses told them they saw the driver leave the scene after the crash, but investigators still don't know who he is.
The minivan was on its way to Denver from Phoenix when it crashed on State Road 191. Troopers say the driver fell asleep, causing the vehicle to go off the road and roll several times. A 20-year old woman died at the scene.
The Utah Highway Patrol says at least 15 people were packed into the van. A middle seat was ripped out to make room for as many passengers as possible. Troopers say three people were ejected and no one was wearing a seatbelt.
The UHP says the passengers are immigrant workers, possibly from South America, Mexico and India. Some admitted to troopers, they're in the country illegally.
Todd Peterson: "It appears that the van had several Mexican nationals in it. We're not finding any identification or little identification at this time."
Three people were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Troopers are working with immigration officials to identify crash victims. They are still trying to find the driver, who could face charges in this case.
