Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PRICE — Imagine clinging to your vehicle in the middle of a raging river in pitch black darkness. That's what a couple and their grandson had to do early Friday morning after their truck crashed into the Price River.
The trio was on their way from their home in northern Utah to Green River for a weekend of recreation. The accident happened at milepost 236 on state Route 6 just after midnight.
Looking at the wreckage, it takes a moment to register what you're looking at. Under a bridge, the truck sits in the middle of the river; the trailer it was pulling is a bit further up the river, flipped upside down.
"The driver of that pickup fell asleep, drifted across the road, went off the westbound side, went down a steep embankment and into the river," explained Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. John Kelley.
Troopers say 65-year-old John Dunkley, his wife, Kathleen, and their 7-year-old grandson were passing through Price on their way to Green River when John fell asleep at the wheel. His truck and trailer pulling ATVs barreled into the raging Price River.
"The river is running real fast and high," Kelley said. "(We were) hoping nobody was injured, hoping we were going to be able to get them safely out of the river."
All three survived the crash, but they were trapped in the water.
When emergency crews arrived they knew it was a race against time. The truck was three-quarters of the way submerged in the icy water. Rescuers set up a safety net down the river, and divers jumped in.
"We secured the individuals with life jackets and harnesses, and one by one we pulled them across that river," Kelley said.
Two hours later, all three were safe and back on dry land. "They were just happy to get out of that truck, out of that river, and to some place that was warm," Kelley said.
The couple and the boy were all treated for hypothermia. But besides that and a few bumps and bruises, they weren't hurt.
As for the truck and trailer, they'll both stay in the river for a while. The water is moving too fast to try to get them out right now.
Email: jstagg@ksl.com
---
(Extra video clip: Courtesy Carbon County Sun Advocate)
---
View Price water rescue in a larger map
