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NORTH SALT LAKE — A suspected impaired driver caused a fatal wrong-way crash on I-15 in the early hours of Feb. 1, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Just before 2 a.m., a woman entered I-15 heading south in the northbound lanes. Near 2200 North in Davis County, between the Warm Springs Road and Beck Street exits, the woman hit another vehicle head-on, UHP said.
The driver of the other vehicle was killed in the crash, even though he was wearing a seat belt, according to troopers. On Wednesday, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden identified the driver who was killed as Joseph Cannon, 40, of Bountiful.
A 26-year-old woman driving the wrong-way vehicle was taken to a local hospital in "life-threatening condition and has since been upgraded to serious, non-life-threatening condition," the UHP said. "Alcohol is being investigated as a contributing factor with the wrong-way driver."
Roden said based on the initial investigation, the woman may have been also been going the wrong way on U.S. 89 before entering I-15 from that road.
The freeway remained closed until about 7 a.m. on Feb. 1 as emergency crews responded to the crash and conducted their investigation.
Cleared: All lakes are now open from the crash I-15 NB at 2300 North (MP 311), Salt Lake City. Drivers should expect residual delays in the area. Check the UDOT Traffic App or @waze for updates.
— UDOT Traffic (@UDOTTRAFFIC) February 1, 2023
In 2022, there were 24 wrong-way crashes in Utah, with eight of those incidents resulting in 10 deaths, according to the UHP.
Contributing: Josh Ellis
