NORTH SALT LAKE, Utah, Oct. 23, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A man died Sunday morning when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Center Street and U.S. 89.
It was about 7:30 a.m. when police were called to the crash, said North Salt Lake Police Sgt. Mitch Gwilliam. The motorcycle, heading north on U.S. 89, T-boned a pickup truck that was going east on Center Street.
The motorcyclist, a man in his 30s, was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene, Gwilliam said. The man, who has not been identified, was from the North Salt Lake-Bountiful area and was riding a cruiser-style Suzuki.
Gwilliam said it is not yet known what caused the truck to roll, but said the accident is still under investigation. There’s a “slim possibility” that surveillance video from nearby buildings may show what occurred, he said.
Drugs or alcohol are not suspected as factors in the crash at this time.
The driver of the pickup truck, though uninjured, was traumatized by the event, Gwilliam said.
The truck driver had his dog with him, and it either jumped or fell out when the vehicle rolled. The dog made its way to the freeway, where it was spotted running along the road. Utah Highway Patrol was able to catch the dog and reunite it with its owner.
Gwilliam said the man seemed torn by the mixed emotions of trauma and grief over the accident and the happiness of recovering his dog.
“I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and these are some of the more difficult things any law enforcement officer has to deal with,” Gwilliam said of the accident scene.
“Ride and drive aware of your surroundings,” he advised. A lot of construction cones are in the area where the crash took place, he said, and it’s important to stay alert and not be distracted.
Gwilliam said officials will be looking at what took place and will determine what needs to be done next. He was unsure whether any charges would be filed.
The Bountiful and Woods Cross police departments assisted at the scene, along with the Utah Highway Patrol.
