UTAH COUNTY — A couple from Elk Ridge died in Utah County, and the bodies were found Friday after a bicyclist reported seeing “skid marks and car parts” going over the edge of a cliff in Hobble Creek Canyon.
According to a press release from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the Right Fork of Hobble Creek Road around 4:30 p.m. Friday after the cyclist saw signs suggesting a crash.
Officials tweeted this screen capture from Google Maps displaying the area where the crash occurred:
A Dodge pickup truck was found 600 feet below the dirt road at the bottom of an embankment. Deputies did not see evidence suggesting the pickup had skidded or slid on the road before going over the side.
Lance J. Simpson, 46 of Elk Ridge, and his wife Jade were found dead in the area of the crash. The two were found in different areas along the path the truck took as it rolled multiple times. Search and rescue crews recovered both bodies, which will be taken to a medical examiner.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the truck to leave the road. Police state the seat belts in the pickup were buckled, “but because of extensive damage they have not yet been able to determine if the Simpsons were wearing them.”
The press release states evidence found at the scene suggests alcohol may have been a factor in the crash, but the official cause remains under investigation.
