Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The four people who died in a crash on Interstate 80 near Tooele have been identified.
Killed at the scene Saturday morning were three siblings: Rafeal Avila, 31; Antonio Avila, 29; and Maria Avila, 18, all from Blue Island, Ill. Also killed was Ana Lora Perez-Ramirez, 27, of San Jose, Calif.
Investigators said Sunday that Perez-Ramirez and Avila were parents to 3-year-old Maria Guadalupe Avila and 9-month-old Vanessa Avila. Both children were ejected from the van and taken by medical helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Hospital in stable and critical condition, respectively.
The children's grandmother Eulaia Avila, 56, was taken by helicopter to LDS Hospital in critical condition.
The eastbound van carrying the Illinois family veered into the median, then rolled into the westbound lane where it was struck by an SUV that was towing another SUV, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Terry Woodward said Saturday.
The collision happened around 9 a.m. near the Tooele exit just southwest of the Salt Lake County line.
Troopers are unsure how many in the vehicle were wearing seat belts. A child's car seat was found at the scene but if it was being used, it was used improperly, Woodward said.
The driver and passenger of the SUV, both adults, were treated at the scene and released, Woodward said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
