SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 10, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A 19-year-old man died and two other people were injured Friday night in a wrong-way collision west of the Salt Lake City International Airport.
The investigation began at 9:36 p.m. Friday when dispatch was alerted to a crash near 120 South 5600 West.
“Officers arrived and found two cars with extensive damage,” says a news release issued by Salt Lake City police. “Officers found one of the cars, a silver Infiniti, on its top. The other car, a red Kia, had major front-end damage.”
The Salt Lake City Fire Department rescued the driver from the Kia and a passenger from the Infiniti, and paramedics took both to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
“The impact of the crash caused the Infiniti to roll and trap the driver,” the SLCPD statement says. “Due to the critical condition of the Infiniti’s driver, the on scene medical incident commander requested a helicopter land on 5600 West.
“The driver died on scene despite emergency life-saving efforts. The driver of the Infiniti is identified as 19-year-old Wilber Cardenas.”
The Collision Analysis & Reconstruction (CAR) Team and SLCPD Crime Lab technicians responded to the scene.
The preliminary investigation shows Cardenas drove north in the southbound lanes of travel as he approached the red Kia. It appears before the crash, Cardenas swerved, which caused the Kia to hit the Infiniti as it slid and as the Kia continued south.
Alcohol may have been a factor in Cardenas’ driving, the SLCPD statement says.
This crash marks the second traffic-related fatality in Salt Lake City for 2024.
