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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake police are investigating two separate hit-and-run crashes that occurred early Sunday. The first crash killed a man and the second seriously injured two people.
About 1:43 a.m. police received a call about a person on the ground on 700 East near 500 South.
A preliminary police investigation revealed that a dark-colored truck traveling south on 700 East had hit a man in a crosswalk. The man who died at the scene was identified Tuesday as Brandon Maher, 31, according to police. There is no additional information at this time.
Police were looking for a smaller, dark-colored Chevy truck with front-end damage, based on evidence at the scene.
"I am very concerned about what is happening on our roadways," Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown said in a statement. "Since Friday, four people have been hurt in our city while crossing the street. And sadly, overnight, a man died when a truck hit him and left him in the street. This is unacceptable."
The second crash occurred about 4:48 a.m. near 1300 S. West Temple. Police received a call about two people on the ground, and an off-duty Salt Lake police lieutenant responded to the scene.
Firefighters at the scene told police that based on their injuries, the two people had likely been hit and dragged by a vehicle, police said. A 13-year-old and 14-year-old were taken by paramedics to the hospital with injuries that are serious but not considered to be life-threatening, police said.
We are investigating two separate hit and run crashes that happened overnight.
— Salt Lake City Police (@slcpd) January 15, 2023
One person died at 500 South 700 East.
Then, two other people were injured at 1300 South West Temple.
Link: https://t.co/jiJ2Xe1OuZ#SLC#SLCPD#SaltLakeCitypic.twitter.com/Ak8mcIG8KY
A preliminary investigation of the second accident indicates the teens were in a crosswalk when a westbound, dark-colored truck hit the two teens on 1300 South. The driver of the truck did not stop, according to police. Officers found additional evidence from the crash near 245 W. 1300 South.
Police do not believe the two crashes are related.
The crash near 700 E. 500 South marks the first traffic-related fatality in Salt Lake City this year.
"Every day our officers are out talking about and enforcing traffic safety laws," Brown said. "No matter how you use our roadways, there must be individual responsibility and a personal commitment to safe driving and safe use of our roads."
