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Alex Cabrero ReportingA serious crash up Big Cottonwood Canyon Thursday night. Two people were rushed to the hospital after trying to get away from police.
The canyon was closed for a few hours due to the accident.
It began as a police chase. An officer says he noticed two people acting suspicious in a parked car at the top of the canyon. Every time he looked in the car, the two ducked down.
The officer got out to see what was going on, and the suspects took off. Police estimate speeds at about 85 mph down the canyon in their attempt to get away.
One deputy tried to set up spike strips, but they went by too fast. Farther down the canyon, though, the suspects smashed their green Ford Taurus into a red mini-van.
The man and woman in the van are fine, but the man and woman in the car are in bad shape. They were flown to the hospital; one is in very critical condition.
Police don't know why they were trying to get away, but there seems to be a reason.
Sgt. Paul Jaroscak, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Dept.: "It's often the case. We may initially contact people for a minor violation, yet they know what they're running for and it may be something big later. We haven't confirmed any of that yet."
The suspects might have died if not for two doctors vacationin in Big Cottonwood Canyon. They were near the scene of the crash and got out to care for the suspects until rescue crews could arrive.
The suspects' identities have not yet been released.
