Uintah County woman killed, 2-year-old injured in crash

Uintah County woman killed, 2-year-old injured in crash

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FORT DUCHESNE, Uintah County — A Uintah County woman was killed in a crash late Monday that also left a 2-year-old boy hospitalized with serious injuries.

The crash was discovered after a power outage was reported about 11:30 p.m. in a rural area south of Bottle Hollow Reservoir, according to Moon Lake Electric Association spokesman Yankton Johnson.

Moon Lake Electric crews and a Uintah County sheriff's corporal reached the area about the same time to check on a downed power pole. Cpl. Troy Slaugh said he joined Moon Lake lead lineman Robert Richens in a search of the area.

Richens spotted the crashed car about 270 feet from a power pole that had been damaged when the driver went off 5500 East, Slaugh said. The men began checking the car and found a 2-year-old boy lying quietly inside the wreckage, Slaugh said.

"When (Richens) shined his flashlight on him, (the boy's) eyes opened," Slaugh said. "Once we determined we could move him, we lifted him out of there and packed him up the hill."

The toddler was kept in Slaugh's patrol vehicle until an ambulance arrived. He was ultimately flown to a Wasatch Front hospital with multiple injuries, including broken bones, Uintah County Undersheriff John Laursen said. The driver, 27-year-old Marissa Duffy of Fort Duchesne, died at the scene, Laursen said.

Power was restored about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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