SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah, July 9, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A Summit County Sheriff‘s deputy stopped a wrong-way driver Tuesday morning with a head-on collision that injured the deputy, but left the pickup’s driver and passenger unhurt.
Multiple agencies responded to calls starting at 6:54 a.m. that reported a westbound pickup driver in an eastbound lane, putting morning drivers in danger.
Utah Highway Patrol Troopers and Park City Police officers responders also responded to State Route 40, near milepost 13.
“A Park City officer started a slowdown near milepost 2 and got traffic stopped,” a Utah Highway Patrol statement says.
“A Summit County Deputy traveling eastbound on SR-40 ahead of the slowdown brought his vehicle to a near stop, and as the wrong-way driver approached, the deputy took the wrong-way driver head-on at an angle.
“Both vehicles became disabled. The driver and passenger of the wrong-way vehicle were not injured in the crash. The deputy suffered an injury and was transported to a hospital in the Park City area.”
The deputy’s injuries have been reported as relatively minor.
“All indicators at this point lead to the driver experiencing a diabetic episode with low blood sugar,” the UHP statement says. “Eastbound SR-40 was shut down for approximately one hour. All lanes have since been reopened.”
