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Three taken to hospitals after head-on crash causes 5-vehicle pileup in Tooele County

Posted at 7:38 PM, May 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-13 23:30:56-04

TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — One person is in critical condition and two others are in poor condition after a five-vehicle crash in Tooele County, and State Route 36 was temporarily closed near milepost 63.

Sgt. Jacob Cox with the Utah Highway Patrol said the crash occurred on State Route 36 near milepost 63, between Lake Point and Stansbury Park. Fox 13 News first heard report of the crash shortly after 7 p.m.

According to the Utah Highway Patrol, a passenger car in the southbound lanes left their lane of travel for an unknown reason, crossed the multi-purpose lane and went into oncoming traffic in the northbound lanes.

The wrong-way vehicle struck a northbound vehicle, and the impact pushed the first northbound vehicle into a third car, which was pushed into a fourth. The fourth car then impacted a fifth vehicle.

UHP says the driver of the wrong-way vehicle was flown to a hospital in critical condition. The drivers in the second and third vehicles that were hit were taken to hospital via ground ambulance and are listed in poor condition.

There were no further injuries reported.

The crash closed all northbound lanes of SR-36 for about two hours, during which time traffic was routed through Lake Point.

Troopers say it is unknown why the driver left their lane of travel, and they are investigating to see if fatigue or other factors may have played a role in the crash.