BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah, Nov. 19, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah Highway Patrol trooper is in extremely critical condition after being struck by a vehicle Friday night in Box Elder County.
According to UHP Sgt.Todd Royce, Trooper Eric Ellsworth was helping with traffic control about 9:45 p.m. near the site of a low-hanging power line outside Garland when he was hit by a vehicle near 13600 North on State Route 13.
The severely injured trooper was first taken to Box Elder Hospital before being flown by helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, where he remains in extremely critical condition.
Investigators say Trooper Ellsworth had stepped from his patrol car and was attempting to warn an approaching semi-truck driver of the low-hanging wire when he was struck by a teenage girl driving southbound on SR 13.
The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation and “looking into every aspect of what happened,” Royce said during a Saturday morning press conference.
Trooper Ellsworth’s family, friends and fellow troopers gathered at IMC where they were paid a visit Saturday morning by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.
Sgt. Royce said Ellsworth — a married father of three young boys — began his career with the Utah Highway Patrol in Green River before transferring to Box Elder County, where he made his family home.
When asked directly if Ellsworth would survive, Royce responded, “Our hopes and our thoughts and our prayers are that it goes that way.
“Our attention is on the family. We love them. We’re hoping to stand by them at this difficult time as much as we can. We are just hoping for the best,” he said.
An account for Ellsworth and his family has been set up through America First Credit Union. It is listed as the Eric Ellsworth Family Charitable account.
