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SALT LAKE CITY — The Japanese parents of a man killed in a tour van crash near Cedar City last year are suing the driver and two Utah travel companies.
Hideo and Akemi Hayase, whose 20-year-old son Hiroki died in the Aug. 9 crash en route to Bryce Canyon National Park, filed the lawsuit Monday in 3rd District Court. They allege the companies, Canyon Transportation Inc. of Sandy and Western Leisure Inc. of Midvale, were negligent by having the fatigued bus driver act as both tour guide and driver.
The Hayases and their daughter, 14-year-old Mariko, were also injured along with eight others when the driver fell asleep and the van rolled off I-15. Two other people were killed.
The driver, Yasushi Mikuni, 26, who was attending college in Las Vegas on a student visa, has been charged with 10 counts of negligent driving causing injury, and other crimes. He is set to appear April 13 in 5th District Court for a preliminary hearing.
The Hayases' suit also names a Japanese travel agency, saying it failed to make sure the tour operators were properly insured, and accuses Canyon of operating illegally across state lines. The Utah companies could not be reached for comment.
Another passenger and her husband, who was paralyzed in the crash, sued Mikuni and the travel companies in federal court in October. They alleged Mikuni had smoked marijuana before the accident.
E-mail:pkoepp@ksl.com
