LEHI, Utah — The victim in a deadly crash between a car and a cement truck in Lehi over the weekend has been identified as a local sheriff's deputy.
Early Saturday morning, the cement truck was traveling south on Redwood Road and went through a red light at the intersection with Mountain View Corridor. It collided with a car that was turning onto Redwood from Mountain View, and the driver of the car died from his injuries at the scene.
Lehi City officials confirmed Monday that the deceased driver was Deputy Joel Baker with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The city's statement said Baker was in uniform and was on his way to a shift at the Salt Lake County Jail at the time of the accident.
“Deputy Baker was a kind and generous person who was always there for his teammates. We want his family to know that we are here to support them as they grieve this tragic loss,” said Sheriff Rosie Rivera in a statement.
Baker had been with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office since May 2020 and worked as a correctional officer with the Utah Department of Corrections prior to that.
“This loss is challenging for our team," a statement from the Sheriff's Office reads. "We have an amazing Peer Support Team to help support our members during this difficult time. We ask everyone to get help if they need it; we are family and we will get through this together.”
An investigation into the crash is underway. Officials said they do not suspect impairment as a contributing factor, and the driver of the cement truck is cooperating.
