A woman was critically injured when she was hit by a passenger car on Interstate 80 in Parleys Canyon Monday afternoon.
It happened shortly before 2 p.m. near mile post 133, near the Mountain Dell exit.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers say the victim, Jennifer Strong, of Sandy, Utah, was in a pickup truck with her husband and children when they hit a bump in the road, causing a bicycle to fall out the back.
"The pickup truck and camper pulled off the right side of the road, further up. A female passenger, 30 years of age, exited the vehicle, came down [...] and retrieved the bicycle. As she was coming back across from the left side of the travel lanes, she was hit by a Nissan Sentra," said Cpl. Todd Johnson of the Utah Highway Patrol.
Strong was taken by helicopter to a Salt Lake City area hospital in extremely critical condition.
The eastbound lanes of I-80 were closed due to the incident. Traffic was diverted off the freeway at exit 133 and back on to the I-80 entrance ramp. I-80 was reopened at 4 p.m., according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
Motorists are encouraged to call 911 if the need assistance retrieving items from the roadway.
Strong's family says she is in very critical condition with a brain injury and multiple fractures.
"Jen is a beautiful, loving wife and mother of four sweet, young children ages 8, 6, 3 and 1. She has a glowing personality, a wonderful heart and always reaches out to lift and serve others," the family said in a statement Thursday. "The response from family has been overwhelming and it brings tears to our eyes to learn of all the lives Jen has touched. The road to recovery will be long and tenuous, but we feel your prayers and know that God will be there to strengthen us."
