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WEST WENDOVER -- A man was killed, and his three passengers badly injured, when either the brakes didn't work or he didn't hit the brakes while exiting the freeway Friday.
At about 6:15 p.m., 66-year-old Paul VanAlfen of Washington Terrace was driving a 2008 Toyota Camry westbound on Interstate 80. After taking Exit 1, he ran the stop sign on the ramp and slammed the vehicle head-on into a rock wall.
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Nathan Croft said VanAlfen was alive at the scene, was extricated from the car, but died in an ambulance while medical personnel were trying to stabilize him.
"He was talking a little, but he just went downhill fast," Croft said.
Croft said both VanAlfen and his wife, Shirlene, who was in the front seat, were wearing seat belts, while his 34-year-old son, Cameron, and his son's fiance, Charlene Lloyd, were not restrained in the backseat.
All three passengers were flown to Salt Lake City hospitals where the fiance, 38, remains in critical condition.
The other two VanAlfens have some serious injuries, including a broken leg and back and chest pains, but Croft said they appeared to be in stable condition when they were taken from the scene.
Investigators are working the difficult task to determine the speed of the vehicle, as there were no skid marks left on the roadway.
There were no indications of alcohol being a factor in the accident, and Croft said it was either a medical problem or mechanical issue with the car.
"They all said he was trying to hit the brakes, but the car just didn't slow down, so we're investigating that," Croft said.
Traffic on adjacent Aria Boulevard is moving slowly, while one lane has been closed for the investigation.
E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com
