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Gene Kennedy reportingA bizarre and deadly accident this morning shut down part of the 21st south freeway temporarily.
Troopers say a man was killed after he crashed his vehicle and then apparently ran into traffic.
The Utah Highway Patrol says at 6:58, a vehicle westbound on SR 201 veered right off the freeway and crashed through a metal structure and drove out an overhead door.
Lt. Shawn Judd, Utah Highway Patrol: "Taking out the wood supports and metal in there and going into the parking lot and a paved area where that building is."
The vehicle began a large a U-turn and crashed through a chain-linked fence and back onto the right-hand shoulder of the freeway. The vehicle crashed into the building a second and came to a stop.
Witnesses say the man then got out of the car and darted across the freeway. The highway patrol says a white semi then ran over the man over, killing him instantly.
Lt. Shawn Judd / Utah Highway Patrol "It's hard to even imagine. It's just an unfortunate situation. It's unfortunate situation for the victim, for the family of the victim and for these two other individuals involved in this situation. Everybody wants answers and wants to understand why. Unfortunately, we may never understand why this occurred."
The highway patrol has identified the victim as 46 year-old Patrick Schafer from Salt Lake City. Investigators don't suspect drugs or alcohol as a factor in this crash. Investigators think it may have been suicide attempt.
(The Associated Press Contributed to this story)
