WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah, April 8, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A Veyo man was killed instantly on Saturday when his pickup crossed into oncoming traffic and collided, head on, with a semi-truck.
The man killed has been identified as 53-year-old Darrin Ivie, who served as the bishop of the Veyo Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A report from the Utah Highway Patrol says that Ivie was driving a Ford Ranger southbound on State Route 18, near milepost 13, at about 10:53 a.m. when the vehicle drifted into the wrong lane.
Agencies responding besides the Utah Highway Patrol were the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Diamond Valley and Dammeron Valley fire departments, and Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office personnel. Processing and clearing the scene took about three hours.
According to a UHP official, the driver of the semi, who was unhurt, told authorities he had seen the pickup driver laying across the seat. It is unknown whether Ivie might have been trying to reach something or suffered a medical issue.
The investigation is ongoing, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. Gephardt Daily will have more information when it is available.