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SPANISH FORK — Police on Saturday arrested a Price man accused of causing a wrong-way crash in Spanish Fork last month that left his girlfriend hospitalized in critical condition.
Jakob Olsson, 26, was booked into Utah County Jail for investigation of driving on the wrong side of the freeway, failure to remain at an accident involving serious injury, and operating a vehicle without insurance.
On March 13, a Dodge Journey crossed the center divider near the northbound on-ramp to I-15 in Spanish Fork, colliding with a Freightliner truck and then another car.
"Two individuals involved in the crash were transported by EMS to Utah Valley Medical Center, with one being in critical condition," a police booking affidavit states.
After arriving at the hospital, the wrong-way driver "fled before troopers could arrive," the affidavit states.
"Because the suspect fled the hospital before any blood was drawn or any other treatment began, there were no biological samples to obtain from the hospital to serve as evidence. The second individual involved underwent extensive surgery and is currently intubated to assist with their breathing, and is, therefore, unable to be interviewed to gain further information," police wrote in the arrest report.
But Olsson had given his name and birthdate to employees at the hospital, and the name matched the insurance found in the Dodge Journey, according to the affidavit, and the vehicle was also registered to him.
One of Olsson's friends had reported that he called to ask for a ride from the hospital after the crash, the affidavit states
"Regarding Olsson's condition, the friend mentioned that he could see that his nose was 'split-open' and bled frequently and that there was 'a cast' on his right hand and frequently mentioned that he was in a lot of pain. During the drive to Price, Olsson admitted vaguely that he was involved in a car accident and that his '... girlfriend was in a coma.' He explained further that Olsson was otherwise in and out of consciousness and frequently said things that didn't make sense," according to the affidavit.
During a phone call with Olsson, investigators said he told them he sustained injuries in the crash, and that he had left the hospital "with knowledge that his passenger, the victim, was gravely injured," the affidavit states.
Olsson said "he heard from a nurse at the hospital that (the victim) was going to survive, so he left the hospital because he was 'getting evicted' from his house in Nevada and needed to collect his belongings in time."
Police found Olsson by gaining a search warrant to track his phone, according to court documents. State Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Olsson at a gas station in Price.
