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SALT LAKE CITY — Police have identified the woman killed in a car accident in Salt Lake Tuesday.
The car accident at 2910 South and 700 East resulted in all northbound lanes of 700 East being closed near the area while police investigate.
Police said Kari Lynn Wartenbe, 43, of Millcreek Township was turning left onto 700 East, when her vehicle was struck by an oncoming car.
"A black Infinity passenger car was traveling northbound in the outside lane of 700 East," Lt. Justin Hoyal of the Unified Police Department said. "A Hyundai Sonata, blue in color, was traveling southbound, making a left hand turn on 2910 South, for whatever reason, made that that turn in front of the Infinity. The crash happened and ended up in the front yards of several residences just north of that intersection."
The two cars damaged two separate fences in front of homes on 700 East.
Police said the 35-year-old female who was in Wartenbe's Hyundai Sonata is in critical condition. The 17-year-old driver of the Infinity is in serious condition, but passengers in the Infinity were treated by medical professionals and released on the scene. The injured were transported to Intermountain Medical Center.
700 East was shut down for several hours while police investigated the scene.
Neighbors said traffic is often a problem when they try to pull out of their driveways, and they said accidents are not unusual. However, they never thought one of their own would die so close by.
Julie Lomax said she has shared a backyard with Wartenbe for 10 years.
"We've had several accidents right at the exact same spot the last few years, and it's just people are going so fast out here," Lomax said.
The speed limit on the road is 45 mph, and police do not currently believe either driver was going excessively fast.
"There's nothing indicating that's a factor as this time, but as the investigation's ongoing, that will be obviously one that that we'll look at," Hoyal said.
Lomax said it will take some time for Wartenbe's death to sink in.
"It kind of a shock right now," Lomax said. "(I) saw her every day, so it was one of those things where it was hard to believe it was there, then not to have her around..."
Contributing: Paul Nelson and Mike Anderson
