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AMERICAN FORK — A man in his early 30s was struck and killed while changing a tire on I-15 in American Fork on Thursday morning, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
The man appeared to be changing the tire on a vehicle on the right shoulder of I-15 near Pioneer Crossing when he was struck by an oncoming motorist, said UHP Sgt. Andy Battenfield. The driver of the vehicle stopped and is cooperating with the investigation.
Battenfield said a man and woman were in the vehicle when they pulled over to change a flat tire just after 6 a.m. Thursday. He said the man followed all recommended safety advice: he pulled over to the far right of the shoulder, turned his hazard lights on and wore a safety vest.
"That still didn't keep him safe in the darkness of the morning hours," Battenfield said. "That tire was flat on driver's side rear and sometime when he was beginning to change that tire he was struck by another motorist."
The man died on scene and the woman was taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.
Several lanes of northbound traffic were closed for hours Thursday morning, but the interstate was fully open as of noon.
Battenfield recommended drivers try to get off the road entirely when changing tires or dealing with similar situations.
"The highway patrol has preached for years that if you feel unsafe or if an exit is close just go ahead and run that flat tire on the rim," he said. "Get off at the next exit."
The identity of the man has not yet been released.
This story will be updated.
