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RICHFIELD — A family is grieving the loss of their 15-year-old son who was killed in a rollover crash in Richfield earlier this week. The 14-year-old driver in the crash has been arrested for investigation of manslaughter, and alcohol was discovered to be a factor in the crash, police said.
Erik Allrdedge, 15, had been standing up through the sunroof of the vehicle and filming at the time of the crash, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
The vehicle was traveling east on a mountain road near a prominent water tower in the Richfield area at a high speed when it ran off the road and rolled onto its top, according to UHP. Erik was pinned under the vehicle when it rolled, and he died at the scene.
The 14-year-old driver and a 16-year-old passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash. Police have not identified the driver or the other passenger.
The Alldredge family described Erik as a good friend, a fierce protector and a lover of old trucks. His obituary describes him as a freshman at Richfield High School "where he had so many friends." He also loved to take photos of nature while on adventures in the mountains, his family said.
"He just loved this truck. The only way we could bring a smile to his face is to see that truck," Erik's mother, Angie Young, said through tears. "He was very sweet. He had a very, very big heart — concerned about everybody around him."
Young said she will never forget her son.
"I just prayed every time he left that he'd come home," she said, "and this time he didn't come home."
In a Facebook post on Friday, Richfield police said they arrested the young driver Wednesday evening for investigation of manslaughter and obstruction of justice.
In their initial statement, police said they were investigating whether alcohol was a "possible contributor." The UHP took over the investigation at the request of Richfield police, and UHP Sgt. Brian Peterson said Friday that evidence of alcohol use was located at the crash scene.
In the course of the investigation, UHP troopers arrested Carlos Reyes, 38, of Elsinore, Sevier County, for investigation of supplying alcohol to a minor.
According to Reyes' police booking affidavit, police interviewed the two surviving teens after the crash Tuesday night and learned one of them had received a 12-pack of "hard teas" and $20 in exchange for a pickup truck that didn't run.
Police said they identified the buyer of the truck as Reyes and located him Wednesday.
Reyes told police he had used the alcoholic beverages to pay for the truck and he thought the juvenile was "of age," according to a police booking affidavit. Reyes later clarified he meant 18 years old which is "of age" in Mexico, police said.
"UHP will continue to work with the Sevier County Attorney's Office in screening applicable charges on the juvenile driver and passenger of the vehicle," Peterson said in a statement.
Erik's friends set up a memorial at the crash site to honor him, and the family said they have been overwhelmed by support from the community.
Erik's mom said her family is going to continue to honor Erik by doing his favorite things such as riding four-wheelers, having fires and enjoying time in the mountains.
Contributing: Bridger Beal-Cvetko
Correction: A previous version misspelled Erik Alldredge's last name as Allredge.
