UPDATE: Hurricane Teen Killed After Truck Drifts Identified
HURRICANE, UTAH – May 28, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – Police in Hurricane have identified a teenager killed Wednesday night by a pickup truck that drifted to the side of the road.
The 14-year-old victim of this crash has been identified as Gavin Pryor. Gavin lived in Hurricane and attended Hurricane Middle School.
Police said counseling will be offered for those needed at Hurricane High School Counseling Office Friday May 29, 2015 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. They said the school wants to assure that they will continue to offer support for students and staff as long as the need exists. The phone number to HHS Counseling Center is (435)635-3280 ext 3079.
Officers said their thoughts and prayers go out the families and friends of those who were involved and knew Gavin.
According to Sgt. Brandon Buell, the accident took place shortly before 11 p.m. near 550 South and 700 West.
“First responders arrived to find a teenage male who was struck by a pickup truck and pronounced dead at the scene,” Buell said.
Police found that four juveniles were walking south on 700 West on the east side of the roadway. A 2006 Blue Toyota Tacoma driven by a 26-year-old male was traveling north on 700 West. “The vehicle drifted to the side of the road where the juveniles were walking and three of the juveniles were able to get out of the way,” said Sgt. Buell in a release. “The driver stated he had reached for an item of food just prior to the crash. Investigators found the point of impact to be approximately six feet from the curb. The driver of the vehicle has been cooperative with the investigation.”
Investigators spent several hours on scene throughout the morning gathering evidence and information. Utah Highway Patrol assisted with the investigation with the use of a three dimensional scanner to diagram the scene of the crash. The victim will be transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
Buell added: “This is a very tragic situation for a 14-year-old to lose his life. This is a reminder of the importance of constantly paying attention while driving and using a sidewalk when walking; it only takes seconds for a life altering incident to take place. Our hearts go out to the families involved. “
