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Family and friends are mourning the loss of two young men killed in a car accident today. The boys were headed up Provo Canyon with two other teenagers for to spend the day on the slopes.
The four teenagers, described as best friends, were driving on U.S. 89 in Provo Canyon. They were on their way for a day of snowboarding on the first day of the Christmas break. Sadly, the driver of the car, 17-year-old Batnyam Enkhturiin, lost control and crashed.
"[He] came across the road, hit me in the back end, and I spun around and went into the other oncoming lane of traffic. I don't know what happened after that," said Lee Robinson, a driver who was involved in the accident.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers say the teens' car struck another car, and three of the four were critically injured. Passersby tried giving them first aid while waiting for ambulances to arrive.
"The driver was just laying outside of the car on the ground. We just got blankets and put it over them the best we could do until EMTs got here," Robinson said.
Two of the victims died at the hospital this afternoon: the driver, Batnyam Enkhturiin of Heber City, and 18-year-old Neal Harlan of Mapleton. UHP believes speed and weather were likely factors in the crash, but the investigation is still ongoing.
Tonight, troopers are cautioning drivers to be careful in their winter driving. "Just because you have all-wheel drive doesn't make you invincible, that you can make it up the hill. If you'll look at the snow and roads behind us, it wasn't even this type of condition. The roads were actually plowed and cleared," Trooper Janet Kerbo said.
One of students injured, Andres Vergara of Springville, has been treated and released. But another student, Easton Olivas, also of Springville, is said to be in serious condition tonight at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo.
Enkhturiin's parents, Brian and Bagi Mecham, sent us some pictures of their son. To view them, click on the photo gallery located to the right of this story.
For anyone who would like to help the family with funeral expenses, a fund will be set up at America First Credit Union under Batnyam Enkhturiin's name Tuesday morning.
Enkhturiin's viewing is scheduled for Tuesday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Olpin Hoopes Funeral Home, and the funeral will be held on Wednesday.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
