Another crash at I-84 / Driver in critical condition; police suspect alcohol a factor

RIVERDALE -- A crash that critically injured a 48-year-old man Thursday when his truck hit a barrier and plummeted from a highway overpass is the third accident since November in nearly the same spot.

Now, Utah Department of Transportation officials say they will install an electronic LED sign to warn motorists to slow down before approaching the connector, which takes vehicles from southbound Interstate 15 to Interstate 84.

Utah Highway Patrol officials identified the man injured in Thursday's crash as John Weitzel.

Weitzel was driving a Chevy pickup on the connector around 9:30 a.m. when he lost control, police say.

His truck reportedly hit a side barrier and fell off of the overpass, landing on its roof 28 feet below before turning back right side up in the southbound lanes of I-15.

Weitzel suffered serious head injuries, broken bones and a punctured lung. He underwent surgery immediately following the crash and was in extremely critical condition late Thursday night, said UHP Sgt. Jimmy Higgs.

Witnesses told troopers the pickup driver was being reckless, making unsafe lane changes and speeding up and slowing down.

Like the earlier crashes, authorities say, speed appears to be a factor.

But Higgs said officials also suspect Weitzel may have been impaired.

Rescue crews had to cut off the truck's roof to remove the driver, he said, and that's when troopers smelled a strong odor of alcohol.

Traffic was backed up on both southbound I-15 and the connector to I-84 for about two hours.

A pregnant woman was killed on the ramp Nov. 10. She was a passenger in a semitrailer carrying apples that was going too fast and overturned when the load shifted.

On Dec. 19, a semitrailer hauling onions crashed while taking the same curve.

Following November's fatal crash, some questioned whether there were enough signs warning motorists to slow down on the connector.

Others questioned the safety of the structure, which has an abrupt curve that requires drivers to slow down to at least 45 mph, the posted speed limit for the connector.

Authorities say at least half a dozen accidents have occurred on the connector in the past decade.

UDOT officials say the structure meets all safety standards and is generally safe when comparing the number of crashes to the number of vehicles that use it daily.

There had been no incidents on the structure during the four years before the recent string of crashes, said Vic Saunders, UDOT regional spokesman.

But after Thursday's crash, UDOT officials confirmed they will install an LED electronic flashing sign that will warn drivers to slow down while approaching the connector.

The sign will run on solar energy, and officials hope it will catch the attention of more drivers, Saunders said.

UDOT has also notified trucking companies that their drivers who regularly use the ramp need to slow down.

Saunders said not much can be done to prevent motorists who are driving under the influence to pay attention to the sign and obey the speed limit on the connector.

UDOT has not set a date for when the sign will be installed, but Saunders said it won't be long.