BOUNTIFUL -- What was a routine motorcycle formation turned into a slow motion accident Friday night.
Lt. Bob Anderson, commander of the Salt Lake County Utah Highway Patrol, said a group of eight troopers were riding in the Bountiful Handcart Days parade.
Between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m. the troopers were doing a maneuver at 900 S. Main St. where most of the bikes ride in a circle while one bike rides through them. Anderson said their timing was off and the center bike got sideswiped.
The troopers were only riding about 20 mph, he said, but the trooper fell and his bike went into the crowd where it burned a young girl.
The girl was taken to Lakeview Hospital where she was treated for the burns and released. The trooper had a sprained thumb and road rash on his arm.
"Our trooper has a little girl about her age and he just felt terrible," Anderson said.
The Bountiful Police Department is conducting the accident investigation and names aren't being released yet.
"It was pretty low key, but still something we don't want to happen at all. We're just very concerned for the little girl," Anderson said.
He said UHP will review its practices and patterns, especially for smaller parades where the roads are narrower, and see if changes are needed.
"We want to be part of a celebration, not part of a tragedy."
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